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Will you leave the Apple ecosystem because of CSAM?


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Don't care, good for Apple, next. You guys have been reading Anti-Chinese propaganda way too much. The people who want to scan your phone, trust me, are already scanning your phone. NSA has the world's largest budget for a reason. The CCP is already scanning people's phones. They don't need Apple's back door to do so.

The only thing that'll really come out of this is less child porn in the world. People who think this will lead to more stuff are idiotic, they assume they're already not giving the government organizations everything they already want to know via - SMS, Phone calls, location, facebook, insta, social, even this forum, everything you do online is trackable, and easily trackable, everything you say or do can be hacked or attacked in. CCP use NSA tools to hack you, NSA are a decade ahead of them.

If someone wants to get you, they'll get you. I work in insurance, the kind of stuff that our independent investigators can find about you is incredible. We've found a person who went to the gym, who claimed they had back problems through some means (I don't even know how the info was found). If we, insurance companies, can be this granular, governments who's job is to spy of individuals are far far better.
 
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Sure, it starts with something people will accept, but always goes farther, but by then it's too late to contest it. Once you open Pandora's box, ain't nothing gonna close it.

It's not idiotic to believe it will go farther. Past history shows that's exactly what happens. Censorship started initially to keep kids from hearing 'bad words' on TV or radio, now it's part of 'cancel culture'. It inevidently goes farther. Today, for example, people can go to court because they said something that a bystander considers offensive (the idiotic 'hate speech' laws). Posts on Twitter or Facebook can be deleted without consent because someone takes offense to it, even for something as innocuous as a vegan recipe post that somehow offends a meat eater.
 
Don't care, good for Apple, next. You guys have been reading Anti-Chinese propaganda way too much. The people who want to scan your phone, trust me, are already scanning your phone. NSA has the world's largest budget for a reason. The CCP is already scanning people's phones. They don't need Apple's back door to do so.

The only thing that'll really come out of this is less child porn in the world. People who think this will lead to more stuff are idiotic, they assume they're already not giving the government organizations everything they already want to know via - SMS, Phone calls, location, facebook, insta, social, even this forum, everything you do online is trackable, and easily trackable, everything you say or do can be hacked or attacked in. CCP use NSA tools to hack you, NSA are a decade ahead of them.

If someone wants to get you, they'll get you. I work in insurance, the kind of stuff that our independent investigators can find about you is incredible. We've found a person who went to the gym, who claimed they had back problems through some means (I don't even know how the info was found). If we, insurance companies, can be this granular, governments who's job is to spy of individuals are far far better.

I'm in the camp of people that will defend China against some attacks from people here on MacRumors. There's some things I dislike about China and there's some aspects I like about it. There's a lot I dislike about America and there's a lot I like about it. When I say I don't like mass spying programs it's not because I read some NYT propaganda piece about "muh CCP is tyrannical" but rather it's because I know whom the government really serves here in the USA (hint: why do you think NSA chiefs have such close ties with certain corporate behemoths). There's no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the CCP have done more for their people in the past 20 years than American has done in twice that, but that's besides the point.

The capability of the government's spying software is not magical. People like you seem to be under the impression that they have hacking tools beyond comprehension which are unavoidable and unlimited in reach. I don't blame you for thinking this way, this is a legitimate propaganda technique they use to convince the public that they're more of an otherwordly force to be reckoned with than they actually are -- precisely because fear of an invisible, shapeless power is a greater weapon than the power itself (go read about the CIA's influence in Hollywood).

Yes, there's a lot they can do to target an individual (laser mics on glass, anyone?) but if you actually read through how their mass spying programs work you'll quickly realize that the majority of their technology only works because corporations help them and invite them in with open arms, either by assisting with the creation of a direct backdoor (Google, Apple, FB via PRISM), or by intentionally downgrading encryption technology because the NSA are capable of cracking older technologies (telecoms in the US intentionally kept old security software around because the government wanted to keep their cracking capability). In fact one of the famous Snowden era leaked documents demonstrates that the NSA can't crack the latest HTTPS encryption schemes but don't need to because Google gave them a direct link to the Google edge servers which is what allows them to intercept web traffic.

I'll say it again for emphasis: mass spying in the USA is only a thing because corporations are complicit by ALLOWING it to happen.

Let's also not forget that the patriot act and other disgusting policies are often not passed behind closed doors, they are often distributed silently as public information which they don't mind publishing because they know most people don't give a s*** about "boring politics stuff lol" (and also because they have a legal requirement to do so because someone accidently passed a slightly democratic law about it).

As for China, you're right, they don't need "Apple's backdoor" because the Chinese people already use enough services outside of Apple's that China has direct control over much like the NSA in the west (not to mention the fact that the CCP have people's iCloud encryption keys, an intentional design by Apple so that they can read your stuff). Like the NSA, China also can't crack TLS v1.3 which is why they outlawed it. The NSA don't need to outlaw it because it's not a threat to them if they can directly tap the source with permission from the company.

In other words, the NSA don't need to crack encryption (for domestic mass spying) because the majority of people spend most of their time using online services that already conspire with the NSA. China don't have this luxury for American companies (obviously) so instead they have to resort to banning certain encryption technology and services.

For that reason it's absolutely worth fighting what Apple are doing here. Bezos' newspaper says "democracy dies in darkness" but that's complete BS, it happens in broad daylight but the general public are too unconcerned to care. In the USA we have a legitimate avenue to stop this BS and end mass surveillance. It's an uphill battle but one that we must fight for. These programs are not inevitable, we consent to them by inaction. We have legitimate avenues to push back. This country is corrupt but there are countless examples of progress being made because people put up enough of a stink about it. The moment everyone goes "oh well, I guess all this is inevitable because the government are all powerful" they have effectively won.
 
So, with all this being said... I already am running a TrueNAS server at home. I'm currently paying for and backing up to iCloud on several apple devices (I have the 200gb iCloud subscription). What is a good program that would automatically back up to my NAS instead of iCloud? I don't want to "Trigger" it, I don't want to think about it. I just want the backups to go to my NAS instead of iCloud.

I've started researching; acronis has something that supposedly does it (but for more money than I'm paying for iCloud)... there is also something called iMazing.

Is anyone doing this? What do you use?
(If there needs to be a client-side program running, I can run it in a linux jail... I'd prefer not to spin up a whole windows or mac VM just to do backups).
 
So, with all this being said... I already am running a TrueNAS server at home. I'm currently paying for and backing up to iCloud on several apple devices (I have the 200gb iCloud subscription). What is a good program that would automatically back up to my NAS instead of iCloud? I don't want to "Trigger" it, I don't want to think about it. I just want the backups to go to my NAS instead of iCloud.

I've started researching; acronis has something that supposedly does it (but for more money than I'm paying for iCloud)... there is also something called iMazing.

Is anyone doing this? What do you use?
(If there needs to be a client-side program running, I can run it in a linux jail... I'd prefer not to spin up a whole windows or mac VM just to do backups).
I do encrypted Wi-Fi backups to iTunes for my iPhone. My desktop will be using FreeFileSync to keep my local folders synced/backed up with my network drive. Teamviewer is replacing iCloud for file access from other devices (basically I remote into my desktop at home and can work on any file from any device, while keeping all files local to my house). A Sandisk Ibi keeps a live backup of photos from my phone over LAN or internet, with storage at the house.
 
So, with all this being said... I already am running a TrueNAS server at home. I'm currently paying for and backing up to iCloud on several apple devices (I have the 200gb iCloud subscription). What is a good program that would automatically back up to my NAS instead of iCloud? I don't want to "Trigger" it, I don't want to think about it. I just want the backups to go to my NAS instead of iCloud.

I've started researching; acronis has something that supposedly does it (but for more money than I'm paying for iCloud)... there is also something called iMazing.

Is anyone doing this? What do you use?
(If there needs to be a client-side program running, I can run it in a linux jail... I'd prefer not to spin up a whole windows or mac VM just to do backups).
Ive got a sonology nas and use idrive, cheap in the first year then use another email for the second, would this work for you?
 
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What did you get and how does the photo sync and music access work, like when you’re remote? Companion app for music playback and photo upload?
I got a Western Digital MyCloud 3 TB drive. Be sure to get a Version 2, which is updatable to MyCloud OS 5, for more features. It has support for Plex media server as well as DLNA and SMB, so I am set. I can use the MyCloud app on my phone or tablet which has a feature to auto backup your photos. The app works outside your Intranet, so you can access your stuff anywhere. You can use any of the many apps in the App Store that support DLNA or SMB or whatever to access your music and videos.
 
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I do everything the old fashioned way, using network shares locally and copying and pasting every single file or folder as needed. Been doing it since the 1990s, have no need to change today. I don't add that much, perhaps I buy an album on Amazon Music, so I back it up using ES File Explorer and copying it to the Samba network share on my NAS I built myself. Heck, most of my apps and data go back to 2010. Not much changes here!

Don't need automatic sync killing my battery. I would rather keep my NAS offline so to ensure privacy. I got a MyCloud, but shut it down as 1) I have no control over updates and 2) it needs an app that requires the latest version, again, a deal breaker, as many of my phones no longer support it and 3) It's always online, so I worry who sees my files or if my music might get deleted since some of it came from Napster back in 2001.
 
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Ive got a sonology nas and use idrive, cheap in the first year then use another email for the second, would this work for you?
I don't think that does what I want... I'm looking to back up my apple devices to my NAS... iDrive just looks like cloud storage... I already have plenty of storage space. Essentially, I'm looking for a "personal iCloud", instead of using Apple's. Something that I can back up my entire iPhone/iPad to locally, automatically.
 
Guys, if you don't want your photos to be scanned at all, just upload them directly through the web app icloud.com

That way your device isn't the one doing the uploads.
 
Guys, if you don't want your photos to be scanned at all, just upload them directly through the web app icloud.com

That way your device isn't the one doing the uploads.
Or...we could just leave apple--since there is no way to trust that they aren't scanning them in the cloud. Morever, what a pain in the keister. I would want to see that workflow in action.
 
Or...we could just leave apple--since there is no way to trust that they aren't scanning them in the cloud. Morever, what a pain in the keister. I would want to see that workflow in action.
I thought scanning in the cloud was the preferred solution and now not even that is good?
 
I thought scanning in the cloud was the preferred solution and now not even that is good?
I think you misunderstood. Those of us in the 3% absolutely think scanning in the cloud is the preferred solution to spyware on our devices.

But only because then we can NOT use the cloud in any way. Thus no scanning. We don't want or need our stuff scanned by anyone. :) I am getting my pixel today and it isn't like I am going to sign up immediately for google photos. No, they scan their cloud.

In short, we are happy with cloud scanning because we can choose not to use the cloud. Thus no need for your webapp solution.
 
I think you misunderstood. Those of us in the 3% absolutely think scanning in the cloud is the preferred solution to spyware on our devices.

But only because then we can NOT use the cloud in any way. Thus no scanning. We don't want or need our stuff scanned by anyone. :) I am getting my pixel today and it isn't like I am going to sign up immediately for google photos. No, they scan their cloud.

In short, we are happy with cloud scanning because we can choose not to use the cloud. Thus no need for your webapp solution.

I've discovered Google scans when you share. If you just store they don't. Apparently this is also true for Amazon and Microsoft.

Was kind of a surprise. I thought they were more proactive than that.
 
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I think you misunderstood. Those of us in the 3% absolutely think scanning in the cloud is the preferred solution to spyware on our devices.

But only because then we can NOT use the cloud in any way. Thus no scanning. We don't want or need our stuff scanned by anyone. :) I am getting my pixel today and it isn't like I am going to sign up immediately for google photos. No, they scan their cloud.

In short, we are happy with cloud scanning because we can choose not to use the cloud. Thus no need for your webapp solution.
So disabling iCloud Photos is just too hard or complicated to do? Nobody is forcing you to use iCloud. No scanning takes place if you don't use iCloud Photo Library.
 
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I've discovered Google scans when you share. If you just store they don't. Apparently this is also true for Amazon and Microsoft.

Was kind of a surprise. I thought they were more proactive than that.
That's not really surprising. The vast majority of perverts like that share; it's a group activity to them, not to horde for themselves.

I would guess the vast vast vast majority of CSAM/kiddie porn is shared with at least 1 other person.
 
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So disabling iCloud Photos is just too hard or complicated to do? Nobody is forcing you to use iCloud. No scanning takes place if you don't use iCloud Photo Library.

"Nobody is forcing you to use a major feature of your device"

It's like buying a car and saying "Nobody's forcing you to use the infotainment system." I want to use my iPhone and utilize most of the important features that Apple and their fans tout as flagship features of the iPhone platform, such as iCloud Photos, Handoff, Messages on Mac, etc. (iCloud powers all of those features). Apple have the capability and legal authority to make those things truly E2EE but they don't. Plus "don't use iCloud" is a temporary workaround that only applies until the same people that asked Apple to make this system in the first place start complaining that CSAM offenders have turned off iCloud but are still sharing stuff via encrypted chat apps.

With all that said, what seems "hard or complicated" for you to do in the past 32 pages is explain why you don't advocate for that E2EE system if it means you get to keep all the things you like about iOS whilst the rest of us concerned about privacy actually get what we ask for. Do you have any objections to that kind of system?
 
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That's not really surprising. The vast majority of perverts like that share; it's a group activity to them, not to horde for themselves.

I would guess the vast vast vast majority of CSAM/kiddie porn is shared with at least 1 other person.

The vast majority of them are almost certainly not using iCloud or any other non-encrypted cloud sharing system like that. Whenever we hear about a major CSAM sharing ring being busted it's not taking place over SMS and iCloud, it's almost always on dark web sites or encrypted chat apps like Telegram.

Again that begs the question as to why they would push for implementing this in the first place if they (like the rest of us) can clearly see the majority of CSAM related garbage doesn't take place on regular consumer platforms like iCloud Photos. The only way they get what they want is if every electronic device ships with an always on scanner that is active regardless of cloud status. I'm confident this is related to why Windows 11 requires a TPM 2.0 chip... Only the blind can really believe this will stop at "It's only active when you have iCloud Photos turned on!"

What DOES take place over regular consumer platforms is organizing and disseminating activist or whistleblower material which we know they really REALLY hate.
 
The vast majority of them are almost certainly not using iCloud or any other non-encrypted cloud sharing system like that. Whenever we hear about a major CSAM sharing ring being busted it's not taking place over SMS and iCloud, it's almost always on dark web sites or encrypted chat apps like Telegram.

Again that begs the question as to why they would push for implementing this in the first place if they (like the rest of us) can clearly see the majority of CSAM related garbage doesn't take place on regular consumer platforms like iCloud Photos. The only way they get what they want is if every electronic device ships with an always on scanner that is active regardless of cloud status. I'm confident this is related to why Windows 11 requires a TPM 2.0 chip... Only the blind can really believe this will stop at "It's only active when you have iCloud Photos turned on!"

What DOES take place over regular consumer platforms is organizing and disseminating activist or whistleblower material which we know they really REALLY hate.

During my dig into this most of the worlds known CSAM material resides in the EU yet Apple is rolling this out in the US. That is kind of odd.
 
I don't know how it is done on a Pixel (mainly because I have zero interest in one) but on most Android device such as Samsung phones, my ZTE, even my S Relay 4G, if you have a Google account set up, and don't change anything, even Samsung gallery syncs with Google Photos. Soon as you take a picture or download one, it 'backs it up' unless you go to the effort of disabling it (or like I do, get rid of Play Services completely or don't use a Google account at all and then disable or use NetGuard to disable internet to Play Services, Services Framework and everything Google so your apps don't break)

Best idea is to not use a Google or any other account (Microsoft account, Samsung account) and obviously don't use Google apps. Even better find a truly open source browser or one too old to support tracking (Dolphin HD from 2010, UC Browser from 2009, etc), use incognito tabs only, disable javascript. Even then it's merely an illusion of privacy.
 
During my dig into this most of the worlds known CSAM material resides in the EU yet Apple is rolling this out in the US. That is kind of odd.

I posted this a few pages or in another thread too. I believe most of the kiddie porn comes out (distributed from) of Mexico actually. But yes, other countries mainly.

And becaaauuusseee it's not a crime in most countries.

This is an excuse "won't somebody please think of the children." Anyone not blind can see it.
 
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any social justice action that begins with 'won't anyone please think of the children/animals/hungry ethiopians/homeless/etc' always ends up being a ploy to get the foot into the door. Once that happens, you can't slam it in their face when it does something more nefarious later on.

As the song says, "One thing...One thing leads to another!"

Or as Pink Floyd said it better, "Another brick in the wall"
 
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