Apple, in a statement to various news outlets:
Last month we announced plans for features intended to help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them, and limit the spread of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers and others, we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features.
Good step, but it should be scrapped entirely. Let’s hope this is not just a case of Apple waiting for the storm to blow over, to then sneak it into a random point release.
Sometimes I wish these corporate PR departments could just be honest enough to admit they made a mistake instead of engaging in all this buzzword doublespeak. That’s probably about as likely as politicians doing the same thing, but a fellow can dream. Apple, you screwed up. Just say so.
1984 is going to happen. The “when” and “who” may be blurry because of the long time spans involved, but the “how” is very strait forward: fear. “think of the children”, “we need this to stop terrorists”, etc.