A lawsuit was filed this weekend against Apple, accusing it of knowingly allowing the company’s iCloud storage service to be used to store child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The lawsuit, filed on behalf of thousands of child sexual abuse victims, alleges that Apple’s failure to act further harmed the victims.

The 27-year-old victim filed a lawsuit after being subjected to abuse that started in her childhood. He said that a relative harassed him, recorded the harassment, and posted the photos online. The woman continues to receive alerts from law enforcement that these images were discovered on various devices, including those stored in Apple’s iCloud.

The lawsuit focuses on Apple’s past efforts to detect CSAM in iCloud. In August 2021, Apple announced a new feature called CSAM Detection, which will use technology called NeuralHash to identify known CSAMs stored in iCloud. But due to privacy concerns raised by activists and security researchers who feared potential abuse, Apple reversed course and abandoned the program.

The lawsuit claims that Apple’s decision to forgo CSAM detection demonstrates a willful disregard for children’s safety. “Rather than using the tools it created to detect, remove and report images of abuse, Apple allowed the material to circulate, forcing victims of child sexual abuse to relive the trauma that shaped their lives,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit aims to force Apple to take drastic measures to prevent CSAM from being stored and distributed on its platform. It is also aimed to pay compensation to a group of 2,680 potential victims who may be eligible to participate in the case.

Apple has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit. But the spokesperson said the company was actively and urgently innovating to combat child sexual abuse crimes without compromising the safety and privacy of its users. Apple has long prided itself on its commitment to privacy and security. But this case directly challenges that reputation. The outcome of this case could have significant impacts on Apple’s brand image and future endeavors. Source