Apple delays child protection measures after privacy criticism

Apple announced Friday it is delaying the rollout of its controversial new anti-child pornography tools, following criticism that the feature would undermine user privacy.

The Silicon Valley giant said last month that iPhones and iPads would soon start detecting images containing child sexual abuse and reporting them as they are uploaded to its online storage in the United States.

However, digital rights organizations quickly noted that the tweaks to Apple’s operating systems create a potential “backdoor” into gadgets that could be exploited by governments or other groups.

The announcement comes as Apple faces intensifying scrutiny from regulators over what critics say is abuse of its dominance.

The company announced a rare and long-demanded concession Wednesday to how its online app marketplace works. 

Apple cited feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers and others in its choice to “take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features.”