Apple is introducing enhanced controls for the “Full Disk Access” setting on macOS. This decision comes shortly after a journalist alleged that Meta’s Muse app on Mac accessed their private messages — an assertion Meta has disputed. Apple noted that while the feature was originally for backups, the rise of AI agents has amplified “the risks associated with this level of access.”
Apple’s announcement follows a report by Inc. columnist Jason Aten, who claimed Muse accessed his private messages without permission. This incident sparked questions regarding user security and trust in desktop AI, which can interact with system functions and read personal files and communications.
The move to restrict this Mac feature is also prompted by a Wired report, which detailed a potential flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app that could have allowed hackers to obtain sensitive data.
Desktop-based AI agents offer users the ability to grant their applications extensive access to files, messages, and other personal data on their computers through macOS settings adjustments.
For the Muse app, users can optionally enable Full Disk Access. Apple clarifies that this setting grants an application permission to access various data, including files, email, messages, and even browsing history.
“Some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems…without users’ full knowledge and understanding,” Apple stated in a recent blog post targeting developers.
The company plans to implement new controls to ensure that users who “genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access” can do so only with “very explicit user action.”
Apple further emphasized, “Addressing this is critical. As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially. We are committed to ensuring users clearly understand these risks before granting such access, so they can make informed decisions about their own data and privacy.”
TechCrunch’s request for comment from Apple regarding these feature changes went unanswered.