The tech giant is defending its new features, aimed at preventing the spread of child sexual abuse material, despite mounting pressure from privacy advocates.
Apple plans to scan iCloud photos for child sexual abuse images, and says its “method of detecting known CSAM (child sexual abuse material) is designed with user privacy in mind”.
The company has also announced a parental control option, which warns children and their parents when they are about to view or send sexually explicit photos in the Messages app.
But privacy groups claim the new features will “create new risks for children”.
Concerns have also been raised that the scanning software “could be used to censor speech and threaten the privacy and security of people around the world”.
A coalition of more than 90 rights groups has now written to Apple CEO Tim Cook, outlining their concerns, and urging the tech titan to abandon its plans to introduce the new features.
The signatories include civil rights, human rights and digital rights groups.
“Though these capabilities are intended to protect children and to reduce the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), we are concerned that they will be used to censor protected speech, threaten the privacy and security of people around the world, and have disastrous consequences for many children.”
Letter sent to apple ceo tim cook
The coalition of rights groups has raised concerns that the scan and alert feature in Messages “could result in alerts that threaten the safety and wellbeing of some young people.
The groups say LGBTQ+ youths with unsympathetic parents are particularly at risk.
They also claim that once the “CSAM hash scanning for photos is built into Apple products, the company will face enormous pressure, and possibly legal requirements, from governments around the world to scan for all sorts of images that the governments find objectionable”.
Apple defends its child safety features
Apple has sought to allay concerns, pushing back against claims that the technology will be used for other purposes.
The trillion-dollar company insists it won’t give in to pressure from any government to use the technology for other surveillance purposes.
Apple says it “will refuse any such demands”
“Let us be clear, this technology is limited to detecting CSAM child sexual abuse material stored in iCloud and we will not accede to any government’s request to expand it.”
“We have faced demands to build and deploy government-mandated changes that degrade the privacy of users before, and have steadfastly refused those demands. We will continue to refuse them in the future,” Apple said in a recent FAQ.
Rising cyber scams target Ticketmaster users and exploiting emotional connections.
In Short
Cyber scams targeting Ticketmaster users are on the rise, exploiting emotions and rushing fans into poor decisions. To avoid falling victim, individuals should verify offers, access official websites, and enhance security with measures like two-factor authentication.
Cyber scams targeting Ticketmaster users are increasing, causing significant vulnerability to fraud.
The rise of these scams is linked to three vulnerabilities: emotional connections to performances, reliance on digital platforms, and ease of access to scams.
Scammers exploit the fear of missing out (FOMO), particularly during high-demand events like Taylor Swift’s concerts.
Fans often rush into purchasing tickets without verifying the legitimacy of the offers, leading to poor decision-making.
If someone falls victim to a scam, their recourse is limited, often relying on Ticketmaster or other platforms for support.
Many fraudulent websites mimic legitimate ticket sellers, tricking users into entering personal information.
To avoid falling for scams, individuals should take their time, scrutinise offers, and ensure they access official websites directly.
Steve Tcherchian, Chief Product Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at XYPRO joins to discuss how to counter these cyber attacks.
Implementing two-factor authentication on ticketing platforms provides an additional layer of security.
While there are no guarantees to stop scams, ticket platforms must enhance their security measures.
Issues with customer service and support during scams can exacerbate the situation for victims.
Australia’s AI workforce revolution: automation paves the way for a four-day work week.
In Short
UiPath’s report highlights the rapid shift towards “agentic automation,” where AI makes autonomous decisions, encouraging businesses to reassess roles and harness automation for productivity. This evolution may enable a four-day work week and necessitates the retraining of staff while ensuring regulations are in place for trust and compliance with AI integration.
The trend towards work reallocation is rapidly advancing, with UiPath’s new report identifying significant shifts in AI and automation.
Key insights from the report suggest a move towards “agentic automation,” where AI begins to make autonomous decisions. Yelena Galstian, Head of Solutions and Customer Advisory at UiPath shares her key insights.
Organisations are encouraged to reassess existing roles and identify areas where automation can enhance productivity.
A critical aspect will be the orchestration of collaboration between human employees, AI agents, and software robots to ensure effective teamwork.
Looking ahead, the motto for businesses is to “redesign and reassign” processes while considering how AI can handle repetitive tasks, allowing human employees to focus on more complex responsibilities.
As organisations embrace these changes, we could see a potential transition to a four-day work week, made feasible through increased efficiency and productivity from AI.
For further insights into the research and methodologies for implementing AI in business, interested parties can connect with the UiPath team through their website.
The rise of AI is pushing data centres to their limits, with increasing demands for high-resolution telemetry and greater power capacity. As AI applications grow more complex, managing these challenges efficiently has become a critical focus for industry leaders. The quest for smarter solutions is reshaping the infrastructure landscape. Luke Dalske, COO of Radix IoT, joins the program to discuss.