Is this distinct from the dataset of iCloud users that the NSA maintains, or the same one?
That used to be true until apple implemented CSAM a black box that scans for hashes of straight to federal prison files. Without your consent or any way to audit it. No oversight.
Yeah I know its not 100% implemented yet but that is just a matter of time.
Of photos uploaded to iCloud. That's a far cry from persistent surveillance.
You'd have to be crazy to think the most popular American phone is free from government surveillance.
You've moved the goalposts. We're talking about warrantless surveillance. FISA courts are flawed. But they're subject to investigation, deliberation and reform in a way police buying commercial data is not. (The warrant process is first and foremost a gate. When it fails at that, as it appears to have with FISC, it serves as a judicial record.)
If we're going to demand user privacy, we need to do it properly. Apple has zero accountability, so they have zero incentive to not sabotage your privacy.