If you’re not a Gmail user, move along.
Wait, wait — I need to amend that. If you’re not a Gmail user and if you don’t send email to Gmail addresses, you can just move along.
That’s not true either. Here’s the best amendment so far: If you don’t use the Web, you can ignore this post.
I begin with this “reassuring” statement:
Do people still believe such assurances? 🙄 And even if it were true today, tomorrow’s line may be, “That was then; this is now.”
OK, here are more excerpts from the article:
Technology giant Google has developed state of the art software which proactively scours hundreds of millions of email accounts for images of child abuse.
The breakthrough means paedophiles around the world will no longer be able to store and send vile images via email without the risk of their crimes becoming known to the authorities.
[…]
While the technology will be seen as a huge boost to the fight against child abuse and exploitation, the ability of Google to look into people’s personal email accounts has raised questions for privacy campaigners.
Earlier in the year Google confirmed that email accounts were being scanned for content to provide “personally relevant” adverts to users.
Do the implications of such capabilities not bother you?
Look, I want the pornographers and child victimizers put out of business wherever they are in those food chains, OK? That’s not what I’m talking about.
I don’t have that kind of images. That doesn’t mean I welcome anyone’s intrusiveness into my communications or my other data (if I were reckless enough to back it up online, for instance).
Think of this: What if in a year some of the images I have are declared illegal and subject to criminal prosecution? You know, like some of my inspirational images featuring Bible verses over at Panting Hart and Ciervo Bramante?
Do you understand the implications? I wish I could take time to elaborate on what I see. I don’t. I have to earn a living.
Just think about what is becoming illegal or branded as hate speech or labeled child abuse. Will any of your photos and other communications up to this point make you vulnerable in the future?
Maybe you need to switch from Gmail to God’s Post, eh? 😀
Well, here’s a link to the full article I quoted from above: Paedophile snared as Google scans Gmail for images of child abuse.
Then there’s this angle (which I thought of before reading it):
