Apple Tightens Mac Privacy After Meta AI Data Collection
Apple is adding controls to macOS Full Disk Access after Meta's Muse AI agent was found mapping users' personal relationships through hourly disk scans.
Apple Inc. is introducing stricter controls for the Full Disk Access feature on Mac following privacy concerns over Meta Platforms Inc.'s Muse Personal AI Agent. Security researcher Karan Joshi and the organization The Future Society discovered that Muse uses this permission to analyze user communications every hour, constructing detailed relationship maps of family, friends, and colleagues. These files track names, connection types, and interaction histories to provide the AI with personal context.
Meta launched Muse on September 8, and the app quickly reached over 5 million downloads, topping the U.S. App Store's free iPhone app chart. Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts defended the data collection, stating that the agent requires context about users and their interactions to be useful. However, the app has faced broader scrutiny; Amazon blocked Muse from its site over credential handling concerns, and Meta recently patched a zero-day vulnerability in the Mac version that could have allowed malware to hijack user permissions.
Apple stated that while Full Disk Access was originally intended for backup applications, developers are now using it for AI agents. The company plans to require more explicit user actions to ensure individuals understand the gravity of granting such extraordinary access to their personal data.
