“In contrast to how easy it is to explain to “an average Joe” why Google’s or Facebook’s business models pose a threat to people’s privacy, it’s very hard to explain why Apple’s new mechanism is even worse.”
It took him 30 minutes to explain the problem to a tech-savvy spouse. That difficulty is the point of the PR. Apple wraps the scanner in child safety language so any objection sounds like defending abusers. Turning off iCloud Photos is a policy choice. The scanner on your phone stays either way.