No OP, but yes. I expect that my emails can be read and that my files on a cloud service can be accessed. And I don’t even use Gmail.

I expect that my ISP tracks and stores my DNS resolutions (if I use their DNS) and has a good understanding of the websites I visit.

I expect that an app that I grant access to my contacts uploads as much data as it can to their servers.

I expect WhatsApp and similar apps to collect and upload meta data of my entire photo library such as GPS info the second I give them access.

Hence, I don’t give access. And hence, it’s a problem if there is no opt-out of local file scanning in the future.

There are worlds between. One case is about pictures on your device. The other case is about pictures on Googles "devices" or network. You had to upload it to Google. EMail is also nothing like a letter anyway. It's a postcard. Everybody can read it.

No, one case is about photos you upload to iCloud Photos only, and the other case is about every single thing in your Google account.

>So if iCloud Photos is disabled, the system does not work, which is the public language in the FAQ. I just wanted to ask specifically, when you disable iCloud Photos, does this system continue to create hashes of your photos on device, or is it completely inactive at that point?

If users are not using iCloud Photos, NeuralHash will not run

https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/10/interview-apples-head-of-p...

No, that happens on Google's servers and is not an agent in my pocket that scans and invades my personal property for evidence of crimes and snitches on me to authorities.