The e-safety regulator says standards will not compromise end-to-end encryption in move that could prevent fight with Apple over iMessage

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Australia’s online safety regulator appears to be heading off a potential battle with Apple over its encrypted messaging app iMessage, with the release of new standards that the regulator says will tackle terrorist content and child abuse material but won’t compromise end-to-end encryption.

In June, the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, rejected two industry-designed regulatory codes because they didn’t require cloud storage services, email or encrypted messaging services to detect child abuse material. Instead, the regulator began working on mandatory standards, which were released in draft form on Monday.