Google Faces Backlash Over Secret Photo Scanning Update

Apple and Google are facing backlash for implementing photo scanning features on their devices without informing users, raising concerns about transparency and privacy. Apple's Enhanced Visual Search scans photos to match landmarks but was enabled without user notice, prompting criticism from security experts about the lack of communication. Similarly, Google's SafetyCore update introduces on-device image scanning to detect and blur sensitive content but was also installed silently, leading to user skepticism. While both companies emphasize privacy, the secrecy surrounding these features has led to doubts about data handling and user consent. Experts argue that open-source transparency would alleviate some concerns, yet both technologies remain closed-source. Google has defended SafetyCore, asserting it only operates upon app requests and can be disabled, but trust issues persist among users.