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Apple working on technology that can detect depression, anxiety, cognitive decline in users — and some observers are not thrilled



Apple is developing technology to help diagnose depression and cognitive decline in users through sensor data related to mobility, physical activity, sleep patterns, and typing behavior, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Journal added that researchers are aiming to "tease out digital signals associated with the target conditions so that algorithms can be created to detect them reliably" on Apple devices.

What are the details?

Detection of anxiety and autism also are in the works, the New York Post reported.

More from the paper:

The depression and cognitive decline features would reportedly use extensive personal data collected by sensors on Apple devices like iPhones and Apple Watches, including information about users' sleep patterns, physical activity, typing behavior and more.

Apple is reportedly working on the effort alongside researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, who are studying stress, anxiety and depression. The tech giant is also collaborating with drugmaker Biogen Inc., which is studying cognitive decline, according to the Journal.

A third reported collaboration, with Duke University, uses the iPhone's camera to observe young children's physical behavior and help detect autism.

The Post said Apple did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the report.

The paper added that the projects reportedly are still in early research stages, and it's unclear if the work will ever lead to applications that are made available to Apple users.

Are iPhones already contributing to mental health issues?

A growing body of research indicates that smartphones and related devices may be contributing to mental health difficulties, the Post said.

More from the paper:

A 2019 study from researchers at the University of Arizona found that smartphone dependency among 18 to 20 year-olds "predicts higher reports of depressive symptoms and loneliness." A 2017 paper from San Diego and Florida State researchers showed that heavy usage of smartphones and social media among teens was associated with higher rates of mental health issues and suicide.

Yet Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, who heads the company's health unit, has "enthusiastically" told employees that the company has the potential to help address rising rates of anxiety and depression, sources told the Journal.

Privacy issues

Of course, the idea that iPhones can be designed to pick up potential mental illness in users has folks concerned about privacy. The Post said Apple already faced pushback this year over a plan to scan images on users' devices for child pornography, which led to Apple postponing and modifying the feature.

But documents the Journal reviewed indicated that Apple's algorithms detecting mental health issues wouldn't send data to the tech giant and only users would receive findings, the paper added.

How are folks reacting to the news?

The idea of iPhones, etc., detecting symptoms of mental health disorders in users so far doesn't seem all that popular with folks who commented on the Wall Street Journal's story on Twitter:

  • "This tech will be abused in the future," one commenter declared.
  • "Maybe spend those resources on the study of how addicting social media is and how they purposely give people gratification and validation while ignoring the harms that can do to an undeveloped mind .. sad very sad," another user wrote.
  • "Hey @Apple, stay the F away from my 'health,'" another commenter exclaimed.
  • "iPhones and social media are causing depression," another user noted. "Instead of using our data, like facial expressions, typing style(?), sleep activity… maybe just make people limit time on their phone. I heard on NPR that Alexa was going to study your voice for depression and alert you. Just [nuts]."
  • "[Apple is] trying to solve a problem it created," another commenter observed.

Apple will remotely install software to scan all US phones for child sex abuse images



U.S. tech giant Apple plans to roll out a remote update that will scan Americans' iPhones for child sexual abuse images, Insider reported.

If found, Insider's Heather Schlitz wrote citing a Thursday report from Financial Times, "Human reviewers would then alert law enforcement if they think the images are illegal."

What are the details?

The Steve Jobs-co-founded technology company plans to roll out software later this year in order to detect child pornography images in an effort to tamp down child sex abuse.

"The software, reportedly called neuralMatch, is designed to look through images that have been stored on iPhones and uploaded to iCloud storage," Schlitz wrote. "According to the Financial Times, if the software detects child sexual abuse in a photo, it will then pass the material on to human reviewers who will alert law enforcement if they think the images are illegal."

Schlitz added, "Researchers told the Financial Times that Apple's decision could pressure other companies into implementing similar kinds of monitoring and could later expand into monitoring of images beyond child sexual abuse, like anti-government signs held at protests."

The Associated Press reported Thursday that the software will reportedly flag the potential match, prompting Apple to disable the user's account. The content — and user — will then reportedly be turned over to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"Separately," the AP report continued, "Apple plans to scan users' encrypted messages for sexually explicit content as a child safety measure, which also alarmed privacy advocates."

The AP reported that Apple said the latest changes "will roll out this year as part of updates to its operating software for iPhones, Macs, and Apple Watches."

What else?

Security experts, however, have warned that such move could "open the floodgates to extensive surveillance."

Matthew Green, cryptographer at Johns Hopkins University, said that the technology could be abused.

"Regardless of what Apple's long term plans are, they've sent a very clear signal. In their (very influential) opinion, it is safe to build systems that scan users' phones for prohibited content," Green said, according to the BBC. "Whether they turn out to be right or wrong on that point hardly matters. This will break the dam — governments will demand it from everyone."

According to the Associated Press, Green added, "What happens when the Chinese government says, 'Here is a list of files that we want you to scan for.' Does Apple say no? I hope they say no, but their technology won't say no."

In a statement, online civil liberties rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation said that what they referred to as Apple's apparent pivot on privacy protections is a "shocking about-face for users who have relied on the company's leadership in privacy and security."

John Clark, president and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, told the news organization that the company's plan is a "game changer" in protecting children.

"With so many people using Apple products, these new safety measures have a lifesaving potential for children," Clark added.