"Apple’s system is less invasive in that the screening is done on the phone, and “only if there is a match is notification sent back to those searching”, said Alan Woodward, a computer security professor at the University of Surrey. “This decentralised approach is about the best approach you could adopt if you do go down this route.”
So it will only happen when you upload data to the iCloud. So the question is then: is it okay for apple to make sure no illegal content is stored on its servers? I think you could argue both ways but to me at least it is less privacy invasive than it seems.
it is about expectations of privacy, in the same way you can expect less privacy in a public space in the real world. It should be clear by now that you can expect less privacy on the public web. Of course a counter argument is that is is perhaps more like renting a hotel room than it is a total public space. But you can also expect less privacy in a hotel room than you can expect in your own home.
For many years privacy and freedom of speech has been a hallmark feature of the internet. I was (kinda still am) a big proponent of this. But we have seen what will happen if you take it to its extreem. From disinformation campaigns to illegal activities. So to me (and incidentally Facebook) we should get better (inter)national rules about how we want to use the public space of the internet. Just in the same way we have rules and laws in public space.
Internet is blending more and more in to the real world. So governments should make it clear in what way we can expect privacy and free speech and where we can expect it (self hosting, public platforms etc) and what responsibilities companies have to enforce it.
The hardline arguments of privacy advocates are the same that the NRA is using to prevent any form of gun control. It starts with A what is them going to prevent to do B. Well rules, regulations and laws. You should be very aware that privacy isn't watered down and law enforcement should make sure they don't mis use what rules there are. But to me checking hashtags for know child abuse photos is the same as doing a basic background check before giving someone an assault weapon
That being said it will stop no one from encrypting images before uploading it to iCloud.