Apple to Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content in iOS 27.3

Apple released beta versions of iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 this week, introducing a change that makes items shared with “Anyone with the link” accessible to Apple for harmful content checks, with a public release scheduled for December, The Tech Outlook reported.

Starting with version 27.3, when users share content stored in iCloud—such as photos in iCloud Photos or files in iCloud Drive—using the “Anyone with the link” option, that content is made accessible to Apple to check for harmful content, according to Apple’s support documentation cited by 9to5Mac and MacRumors.

Public Links Lose End-to-End Encryption

Choosing “Anyone with the link” has always made content publicly accessible, but the 27.3 updates add active scanning.

The “People you choose” sharing option, which restricts access to invited or approved individuals, remains unaffected by the scanning, 9to5Mac noted.

Apple Reserves Enforcement Powers Over Flagged Content

If Apple flags shared content as harmful, the company reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove or delete the content at any time, according to Apple’s support page. The company may also take action against the user’s Apple Account, including blocking or disabling the account, blocking creation of a new Apple Account with the associated email address or phone number, or involving law enforcement if necessary, MacRumors reported.

Apple does not define “harmful content” in its documentation, but MacRumors noted it could include malware, malicious files, or child sexual abuse material given the mention of law enforcement involvement.

Questions About Apple’s iCloud Link Scanning

Does this affect links I share with specific people?

No. Only the “Anyone with the link” option is checked. Sharing with “People you choose” does not make content accessible to Apple for scanning, according to 9to5Mac.

Will Apple scan links I created before updating to 27.3?

Apple does not say whether links created before the 27.3 updates will be checked, MacRumors noted.

How to Access the 27.3 Betas

The iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 betas are currently available to developers for testing. The software is expected to see a public release in December, MacRumors reported.

More on this story: iOS 27.3: Beta Expected Soon With New Siri AI Features and Health App

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