Apple faces a lawsuit for sidelining CSAM detection in iCloud.

Apple faces a lawsuit due to its decision not to implement a system that would have scanned iCloud photos for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This legal action argues that the lack of concrete measures to prevent the dissemination of such content forces victims to relive their traumas, according to reports. It is mentioned that Apple presented “an enhanced design that was widely promoted with the goal of protecting children,” but then failed to “implement those designs or take action to detect and limit” the proliferation of this material.

The company announced the system in 2021, which would have used digital signatures from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and other organizations to identify known CSAM content in users' iCloud libraries. However, those plans appeared to have been discarded following warnings from privacy and security advocates, who pointed out that such a system could open a backdoor for government surveillance.

The lawsuit comes from a 27-year-old woman who is using a pseudonym. She revealed that she was abused as a child by a family member, who shared images of her online, and that she continues to receive notifications from authorities almost daily about individuals who have been accused of possessing such images. Attorney James Marsh, involved in the case, indicated that there is a potential group of 2,680 victims who may be entitled to compensation.

A spokesperson for Apple stated that the company is “urgently and actively innovating to combat these crimes without compromising the safety and privacy of all our users.” In August, a 9-year-old girl along with her guardian also sued Apple, accusing the company of failing to adequately address CSAM in iCloud.