Then how would they respond to warrants asking for all user identities that upload image x? "Sorry, no"? I don't think so. If they are served a valid warrant that isn't overbroad and they have the data, they are legally compelled to provide it.
Whatever they said, it was probably worded to give you this impression, without actually saying that. Apple is extremely careful and goes to great pains to actively mislead and deceive whilst avoiding actual lies.
Could you please link to or quote these statements from Apple? I would bet any money they say something different than what you claim, a "not wittingly"-style hedge.
Apple clearly has very limited ongoing scanning because they report on the order of hundreds of instances of CSAM to NCMEC every year whereas other services with pervasive scanning report on the order of tens of millions of instances.
It’s ok, you are one of the vast majority of people commenting on this topic while reasoning from false premises.
> Then how would they respond to warrants asking for all user identities that upload image x?
Dragnet warrants like this aren’t even legally permissible in the United States, and if they were Apple would obviously reject them. They state that they only provide specific named user account information in response to warrants.
Nothing in this article from Apple says that they don't scan iCloud Photos, and many things strongly suggest that they do.
The headline says they don't scan iCloud Photos, but I don't see the statements from Apple saying that. The media often misreports on Apple's comments because Apple's expert at inducing the media to misreport in ways that are favorable to Apple.
The author is repeating a confirmation they received directly from Apple, as described in the first sentence. Ben is a long time journalist who's been on the beat for decades. When he says, "Apple has confirmed to me" it's a newsworthy report of what Apple has confirmed to him. The statement doesn't have to be attributed to an Apple spokesperson to confirm that, and Ben is not prone to "misreporting" like you claim without evidence.
Whatever they said, it was probably worded to give you this impression, without actually saying that. Apple is extremely careful and goes to great pains to actively mislead and deceive whilst avoiding actual lies.
Could you please link to or quote these statements from Apple? I would bet any money they say something different than what you claim, a "not wittingly"-style hedge.