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Google, Facebook and Twitter To Block "Hash Lists" of Child Abuse
An anonymous reader writes: Facebook, Google, and Twitter are teaming up with the UK's Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to share hash lists of blocked indecent images. The move is intended to ensure that a picture pulled from one site can't show up again elsewhere. The BBC reports: "Online security specialists welcomed the move as a positive step, but said it would not block content on the 'darknet' — a network with restricted access — where abusers often posted images."
This probably isn't a bad idea even though it won't stop the perverts. It greatly lessens the chance someone will come across something they didn't want to see.
When they cam for the perverts, I said nothing, for I was not a pervert?
This exact technology will allow governments to exercise very powerful censorship across the internet (or at least the part of the internet most people see). Want all pictures from that protest rally to vanish? Just twist the arm of any of these companies into adding a few hashes, or just slip them into a list the FBI no doubt routinely provides, and, just like that, down the memory hole. Plus, as you say, this won't stop the perverts. The only thing this actually accomplishes is empowering the totalitarian state.
We seen a couple of stories here on /. already where IP blocklists were abused by governments to slip in websites of opposing political parties. It's a bit hard to believe this won't be abused similarly.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
How about recognizing that these feelgood solutions are more for getting it outta sight outta mind than for actually stopping the abuse of children?