Apple to Expand Automated Surveillance of iPhone Message Images

Apple to Expand Automated Surveillance of iPhone Message Images

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple’s iOS 16 update for iPhones, expected this fall, will expand worldwide a controversial “communications security” tool that will use proprietary AI to detect nudity in text messages.

The worldwide expansion of this “message analysis” feature, currently available only in the U.S. and New Zealand, will begin in September when iOS 16 is rolled out to the general public.

Phone models prior to the iPhone 8 will not be affected; for Mac devices, the Ventura update will offer this option.

The nudity detection feature has been touted by Apple as part of its Expanded Protections for Children initiative, but privacy advocates have raised questions about the company’s overall approach to private content surveillance.

Apple describes the feature as a tool to "warn children when receiving or sending photos that contain nudity.”

The feature, Apple notes, is not enabled by default: “If parents opt in, these warnings will be turned on for the child accounts in their Family Sharing plan.”

When content identified as nudity is received, “the photo will be blurred and the child will be warned, presented with helpful resources, and reassured it is okay if they do not want to view this photo. Similar protections are available if a child attempts to send photos that contain nudity. In both cases, children are given the option to message someone they trust for help if they choose.”

The AI feature bundled with the default Messages app, the company explained, “analyzes image attachments and determines if a photo contains nudity, while maintaining the end-to-end encryption of the messages. The feature is designed so that no indication of the detection of nudity ever leaves the device.”

According to Apple, the company “does not get access to the messages, and no notifications are sent to the parent or anyone else.”

In the U.S. and New Zealand, this feature is included starting with iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2 and macOS 12.1.

As French news outlet RTL noted today when reporting the expansion of the feature, “a similar initiative, consisting of analyzing the images hosted on the photo libraries of users’ iCloud accounts in search of possible child pornography images, had been strongly criticized before being dismissed last year.”

As XBIZ reported, in September 2021 Apple announced that it would “pause” that initiative. The feature would have scanned images on users’ devices in search of CSAM and sent reports directly to law enforcement.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Anissa Kate, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top-selling stars for the second quarter of 2025, with Anissa Kate landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

AEBN Reveals Eva Maxim as Top Trans Star for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top trans stars list for the second quarter of 2025, with Eva Maxim landing atop the leaderboard.

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Whisper Fans Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Whisper Fans has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Utherverse Launches 'Red Light Center' Virtual World

Virtual reality and metaverse technology company Utherverse has launched its new virtual world, RedLightCenter.io.

European Commission Approves AV Guidelines, Unveils Prototype App

The European Commission on Monday released its final, approved guidelines for protecting minors online under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and made public a “white label” age verification app intended to help sites and platforms comply with age verification rules under the DSA.

New Membership Site 'Sluts Corner' Launches

R18 Entertainment has launched a new membership site, SlutsCorner.com.

Show More