New Delhi: Apple has announced a variety of new features on its platform which aims to protect children online.
Called expanded protection for children, this includes a safety device to protect children from sensitive images in iCessage and iCloud photos.
“In Apple, our goal is to create technology that empowers people and enrich their lives – while helping them stay safe,” said the company in a press release about these features that will be launched in the coming weeks.
The company is also said to work on new safety devices in Siri and search.
Incidentally, Apple also faces criticism from certain quarters about these new features.
The critics included Edward Snowden and Foundation Frontier Electronic.
Researcher Johns Hopkins Cryptography Matthew Green has called this “bad idea”.
However, Apple has defended the move.
9TO5MAC obtained an internal memo reportedly distributed to the team working on this project.
This memo has been written by Sebastien Marineau-MES, Vice President of the software on Apple.
In that memo, Apple recognizes “misunderstandings” about these features, but adding that they are part of “important missions” to keep children safe.
This is a memo when it appears at 9to5mac today marks the disclosure of public officials expanded protection for children, and I want to take a moment to thank you all for all your hard work for the past few years.
We will not reach this historical milestone without tireless dedication and resilience.
Keeping safe children is a very important mission.
In true Apple fashion, pursuing this goal has required deep cross-functional commitments, spanning engineering, GA, HI, Legal, product marketing and PR.
What we announced today is the product of this extraordinary collaboration, which provides tools to protect children, but also maintain commitments in Apple to user privacy.
We have seen many of the current positive responses.
We know some people have misunderstandings, and more than some worry about the implications, but we will continue to explain and detail their features so that people understand what we have built.
And while a lot of hard work ahead to send features in the next few months, I want to share this note that we received today from NCMec.
I feel very motivating, and hope you will also do it.
I am proud to work in Apple with an extraordinary team.
Thank you!