Apple changes full-disk access permissions to curb abuse from AI agents (arstechnica.com)

Apple has announced changes to its macOS privacy settings aimed at preventing third-party app developers from misusing permissions to access sensitive user information, particularly message histories. This shift follows an incident where tech columnist Jason Aten received an unsolicited notification from Meta’s general-purpose AI agent, Muse, referencing a private conversation he had via Apple Messages. The incident sparked widespread concern over AI assistants having overly broad access to personal data, likening their potential for misuse to dangerous tools requiring careful handling. In response to the controversy, Meta’s CTO, David Singleton, clarified that Muse could only access Apple Messages if users explicitly granted two permissions: full-disk access (FDA) and activation of a specific Messages connector. However, macOS security expert Patrick Wardle raised concerns, pointing out that with FDA, any non-root file is accessible, including sensitive data like messages and browsing history. This debate underscores the urgent need for stronger privacy protections and informed user consent as AI technologies become more integrated into personal and professional communication, raising important questions about the balance between functionality and user security in AI deployment.