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iPhone's Journaling Suggestions Feature Misunderstood, Does Not Share Personal Info

Contrary to viral claims, Apple's new feature prioritizes journal prompts without compromising user privacy.

Overview

  • A new iPhone feature, Journaling Suggestions, does not compromise user privacy by sharing full names or exact locations with nearby people.
  • Apple's Journal app uses data stored on the device to suggest journaling topics based on nearby contacts, without revealing personal information.
  • Social media posts falsely claimed that the Journaling Suggestions feature shares users' full names and exact locations, sparking privacy concerns.
  • Independent testing and Apple's explanations confirm that the feature prioritizes suggestions based on nearby devices using Bluetooth, without sharing personal details.
  • Users can control their privacy settings within the Journal app, including disabling the 'Discoverable by Others' option to limit data sharing.