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So you know it’s not just a fingerprint. Did you notice the parts about the safety vouchers and the visual derivatives?



Yes, I did. You do realise that CSAM is just a policy control, and there is literally nothing technical from Apple adding non-CSAM content to the same policy and systems?

I feel like you may not have actually read the paper in depth. The paper clearly shows this is a generalised solution for detecting content that perceptually matches a database. The "what" is CSAM today, but nothing about the technicals require it to be CSAM.

To answer your specific response of safety voucher and visual derivative:

- The 'safety voucher' is an encrypted packet of information containing a part of the user's decryption keys, as well as a low resolution, grayscale version of the image (visual derivative). It is better described as "backdoor voucher".

- The 'visual derivative' is just the image but smaller and grayscale.

None of those two technologies have anything to do with CSAM. Apple's statement that they will only add CSAM to the database is a policy statement. Apple can literally change it overnight to detect copyrighted content, or Snowden documents, or whatever.


You are ignoring how the parts of the technology are used to separate responsibilities.

> Apple can literally change it overnight to detect copyrighted content, or Snowden documents, or whatever.

No, Apple doesn’t run the database. NCMEC does.


It doesn’t matter where the fingerprints are coming from, they’re all just fingerprints. Today they come from NCMEC. Tomorrow they could be from the Chinese Communist Party.


It’s hard to take seriously the complaint that this mechanism would give the Chinese Communist party more power.

Also, in the US, the 4th Amendment protects against the abuse you are talking about:

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/08/12/a-38-year...




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