Apple Tightens Consent Controls on Mac Full Disk Access as AI Agents Raise Privacy Risks
Apple is updating macOS to require more explicit user consent for Full Disk Access, citing privacy risks posed by autonomous AI agents. This move follows reports of AI applications potentially accessing private user data without clear authorization.
Why it matters
As AI agents gain more system-level control, balancing user convenience with data privacy and security is becoming a major regulatory and technical challenge.
Apple is introducing additional controls around Full Disk Access on macOS, a setting originally designed to support backups, saying AI agents have increased the risks tied to that level of access. The change is aimed at ensuring informed consent rather than placing new limits on the permission.
The move follows a report by Inc. columnist Jason Aten, who said Meta’s Muse app on Mac knew the contents of his private messages despite his claim that he had not granted permission, an account Meta has disputed. A separate Wired report found that a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app could have exposed sensitive data to hackers. Together, the incidents have raised questions about how much users can trust desktop AI agents that control systems and read personal files.
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