Will Cathcart, the head of Facebook Inc.’s FB WhatsApp instant messaging app, said that Apple Inc.’s AAPL approach to tackling child sexual abuse is “wrong” and “very concerning.”
What Happened: Cathcart took to Twitter to criticize Apple’s plan to add new features to detect child sexual abuse content on iPhones in the U.S., calling it a “setback for people’s privacy all over the world.”
I read the information Apple put out yesterday and I'm concerned. I think this is the wrong approach and a setback for people's privacy all over the world.
— Will Cathcart (@wcathcart) August 6, 2021
People have asked if we'll adopt this system for WhatsApp. The answer is no.
Cathcart noted that Apple’s software will be able to scan all the private photos on a customer’s phone, including photos that were not shared with anybody.
Further, Cathcart said that WhatsApp, which offers encryption by default to its more than a billion users worldwide, will not adopt Apple’s approach. He noted that his company has reported more than 400,000 cases of child sexual abuse crime to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) last year without breaking encryption.
See Also: Facebook-Owned WhatsApp Looks To Rival Snapchat With 'View Once' Feature
Why It Matters: Apple has been under pressure from law enforcement agencies around the world to weaken its encryption to help in the investigation of terrorism or child exploitation. The launch of the new features by the Cupertino-based tech giant will help to alleviate some of those concerns.
However, security experts are worried that the technology could be eventually be expanded to scan phones for other prohibited content. It could also be used by authoritarian governments to spy on dissidents and protestors.
Facebook too has been accused of failing to protect children. It was reported in April that a group of Democratic lawmakers opposed Facebook’s plans to launch a new version of the photo-sharing tool Instagram intended specifically for children, noting that using Instagram may pose a threat to young users’ wellbeing.
Price Action: Facebook shares closed almost 0.2% higher in Friday’s trading at $363.51, while Apple shares closed almost 0.5% lower at $146.14.
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