iOS 18, available on iPhone since September 2024, has multiple new features, including one called “improved visual search”. It simply allows you to identify objects in photos and videos on the iPhone. “You can identify popular tourist spots, plants, pets, etc. that appear in your photos, images and videos, and learn more about them», Indicates Apple.
Problem, developer Jeff Johnson recently indicated that the user's photo and video data was circulating on the cloud so that Apple could find a match to the objects in its database.In reality, your personal information is safe according to the American company.
Improved visual search is ultimately safer than it seems
The MacWorld media went to dig into Apple's legal noticesin order to know if the information contained in the photos and videos following the use ofenhanced visual searchwere actually found on its servers.
«Improved visual search in Photos lets you search for photos using landmarks or points of interest. Your device privately associates the locations in your photos with a global index that Apple maintains on its servers. We apply homomorphic encryption and differential privacy, and we use an OHTTP relay that hides the IP address. This prevents Apple from learning the information contained in your photos».
Homomorphic encryption means thatoperations are performed on the data while it remains encrypted. Apple therefore matches them to its database of landmarks and points of interest without ever deciphering them and turning them into a recognizable image. “Differential privacy is a way to protect individual data when used in group analyzes», says MacWorld.
It therefore appears that the enhanced visual search on iPhone does not expose any data contained in your photos and videos. Remember that you can choose todeactivate this function if you do not want to take any risks.
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By : Keleops AG
