Apple Faces Backlash Over Auto-Enabled Photo Analysis Feature

The Enhanced Visual Search feature, introduced in iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1, raises privacy concerns as it operates without explicit user consent.

Apple's Enhanced Visual Search feature uses AI to identify landmarks in photos by analyzing image data locally and matching it with a cloud-based global index.
The feature is enabled by default, and users were not explicitly informed, leading to criticism over transparency and lack of consent.
Apple claims the process is privacy-preserving, employing homomorphic encryption and differential privacy to prevent access to photo contents.
Critics argue that the feature undermines Apple's privacy reputation by uploading metadata even for users who have opted out of iCloud photo uploads.
Users can disable Enhanced Visual Search in device settings, but concerns remain about data already processed before opting out.