THE CRUNCH
Apple has announced that content shared through public iCloud links will be checked for harmful content, starting with version 27.3 of iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS. The change applies only to items shared using the Anyone with the Link option, not to content shared directly with specific people. Apple says it can access such items and reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove or delete content, and to block or disable accounts associated with harmful content.
The company has not defined what harmful content means, nor explained how the checks will work or whether human moderators, automated systems or AI will make the calls. The Register suggests the undefined category could cover child sexual abuse material, malware and other unlawful content, but without a definition users are left to Apple's discretion. Apple also reserves the right to involve law enforcement when necessary, and did not respond to questions.
A key detail: sharing via a public link removes end-to-end encryption from that item, even if Advanced Data Protection, Apple's optional end-to-end encryption feature, remains enabled for the account. Version 27.3 is currently in developer beta, with a general release expected in December.