Apple to Scan iCloud 'Anyone with the Link' Shares for Harmful Content, Threatens Account Penalties
Apple announced it will begin checking content shared via the iCloud "Anyone with the link" sharing option for harmful material, starting with iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS 27.3 or later. The "Share a Link" option, when set to allow anyone with the link, makes content accessible to any holder of the link, including Apple itself, and is not end-to-end encrypted even when Advanced Data Protection is enabled. Apple stated it reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove, or delete harmful content at any time, and may block or disable accounts, block associated email addresses or phone numbers from creating new Apple Accounts, and involve law enforcement when necessary. This is a policy and feature change rather than a security vulnerability, with implications for user privacy and content moderation on the platform.
Detalhes técnicos
The checks apply specifically to content shared through the "Anyone with the link" option, distinct from restricted sharing to approved individuals. Content shared this way is explicitly excluded from end-to-end encryption protections, meaning Apple can access it for moderation purposes regardless of a user's Advanced Data Protection settings.
Linha do tempo
-
Apple to Scan iCloud 'Anyone with the Link' Shares for Harmful Content, Threatens Account Penalties
ler a análise desta fonte ocultar
Apple announced it will begin checking content shared via the iCloud "Anyone with the link" sharing option for harmful material, starting with iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS 27.3 or later. The "Share a Link" option, when set to allow anyone with the link, makes content accessible to any holder of the link, including Apple itself, and is not end-to-end encrypted even when Advanced Data Protection is enabled. Apple stated it reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove, or delete harmful content at any time, and may block or disable accounts, block associated email addresses or phone numbers from creating new Apple Accounts, and involve law enforcement when necessary. This is a policy and feature change rather than a security vulnerability, with implications for user privacy and content moderation on the platform.
Technical Details
The checks apply specifically to content shared through the "Anyone with the link" option, distinct from restricted sharing to approved individuals. Content shared this way is explicitly excluded from end-to-end encryption protections, meaning Apple can access it for moderation purposes regardless of a user's Advanced Data Protection settings.