Apple’s “Communication Safety in Messaging” feature is designed to automatically blur images sent to children that contain nudity. This feature was available in the US last year and is now coming to users in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The exact time of the introduction of the option is not known, but The Guardian reports that the feature will arrive soon.
Scanning images for inappropriate content occurs on the device and does not affect message encryption. The feature scans incoming and outgoing images in search of sexually explicit material to protect children.
If such content is still found in the image, the image is blurred and guidelines are given to find help and encouragement in the sense that it is okay not to look at the image and leave the conversation.
In addition to the mentioned guidelines, there are also pop-up messages that say: “You are not alone, and can always get help from someone you trust or with trained professionals,” and “You can also block this person.”
Apple is also introducing new features to search for Safari and Siri use. The feature will alert users if they search for topics related to child sexual abuse and possibly block those actions.
In addition to the two aforementioned online child safety features, Apple also announced a feature last August that would scan photos looking for child sexual abuse material before uploading them to an iCloud account.
However, this feature has provoked an intense reaction from privacy advocates, who have argued that there is a risk of introducing a backdoor that would undermine the security of Apple users.
After releasing the first two features, Apple has yet to provide an update on when the last-mentioned and more controversial feature will be introduced.
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