Overview
- Apple announced on Friday that it will add new controls so users must take very explicit steps before an app can obtain Full Disk Access, a macOS setting that lets software read files, mail, messages and browsing history.
- The move follows reports that Meta’s Muse and other desktop AI agents accessed sensitive local data, a claim Meta disputes by saying Messages access on Mac is strictly opt‑in and requires Full Disk Access plus additional connectors and permission steps.
- Full Disk Access was created to let backup and system utilities operate across a user’s drive, but Apple said some developers are using it in ways that could expose other people’s private communications without users fully understanding the risk.
- Apple has not published how the new controls will work or when they will arrive, creating short‑term uncertainty for developers and power users who rely on broad disk access for legitimate workflows.
- The change could shift how AI agents are built and deployed on macOS and may prompt platforms and services to tighten their own limits, as some companies have already restricted agent behavior or paused features over privacy concerns.