Apple is under fire for announcing it intends to automatically scan message content for images of child sex abuse material (CSAM) and to prevent children from viewing objectionable content.
The tech giant and privacy advocate wants to help the porn problem by filtering people’s messages.
However, privacy campaigners from around the world are firing back at Apple in an attempt to get it to abandon its plans.
The privacy campaigners say Apple’s plans to automatically scan messages for CSAM undermines the principle of end-to-end encryption.
Over 90 parties are signatories to a letter coordinated by the Center for Democracy & Technology.
The campaigners acknowledge Apple’s positive intentions.
Specifically, the privacy campaigners fear that if governments know the technology exists, they could demand Apple use it for other purposes beyond its intended use.
“Although the new features are designed to protect children and reduce the spread of CSAM they will create new risks for children and could be used to censor speech and threaten the privacy and security of people around the world,” say the signatories.
However, Lisa Taylor, a Whangarei-based counsellor in partner trauma and sex addiction, is calling porn use ‘a pivotal issue’ for society.
Citing porn industry research Taylor says the issue with porn is a serious social concern in New Zealand.
New Zealand is ranked 13th for page views per capita, she says.
2021 New Zealand research exposes a strong association between sex addiction, including porn addiction and domestic violence says Taylor.
This research follows a 2017 study revealing that 67% of Kiwi teens have seen internet porn.
Taylor points out that porn use is also an issue in the Church.
“We know from international research that porn use is almost as common in the church as in secular society.”
She says porn and particularly porn addiction is not a topic many open up about, even though it affects people across the globe.
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