Apple is going to scan your iMessage messages for nude photos
The Communication Protection feature in the Messages app ensures that children are not suddenly confronted with nude photos. It had existed for some time, but was not yet available in the Netherlands. That is now changing.
Read on after the ad.
Communication security in Messages
The Communication Security feature (also known as Communication Safety) is an addition to the Messages app on all Apple devices. This should warn children when they receive or want to send nude photos. In a slightly different form, there was still a fuss about this, but this security feature will soon also be available in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Communication security was already launched in the United States at the end of 2021 and then expanded within a few months to England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, among others. Only in recent months did the feature also become available in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The Netherlands and Belgium (and Sweden, Japan, South Korea and Brazil) will soon be added to this list.
If Communication Protection is enabled, nude photos are automatically blurred. The child will see a warning. In addition, the option appears to send a message to the parents (or another person of trust) to receive advice. It is also possible to open the photo, although it is clearly emphasized that it is okay not to view the photo
Scanning of the photos is done on the device used. Apple cannot access the messages. The messages therefore remain encrypted with end-to-end encryption. No automatic notifications or messages are sent to the parents either.
Apple and child protection online
The Communications Protection feature is just one part of Apple’s plan to protect children online. Last December, Apple backed away from a previously announced plan to detect Child Sexual Abuse Material, or CSAM, in iCloud photos.
This was because there was a lot of criticism, including from security advisers and political parties. The plan could lead to false accusations. In addition, it would create “backdoors” through which governments could monitor users by scanning all their photos.
If you’re concerned about online abuse, check out Apple’s What to Do Personal Safety Guide on Apple’s website.
