A dispute over privacy practices has escalated into a broader policy shift on macOS. After a journalist alleged that Meta's Muse application on Mac had accessed their private messages—an allegation Meta rejected—Apple revealed it is rolling out new safeguards for a macOS permission known as "Full Disk Access." While the setting originally existed to help backup tools operate correctly, Apple now says AI agents have amplified "the risks associated with this level of access."

The move follows a report from Inc. columnist Jason Aten, who said Muse was aware of the contents of his private messages despite his claim that he never granted the AI agent permission to see them. That account sparked wider concerns about how much security and trust users can place in desktop-based AI, which is capable of controlling system functions and reading files and messages. Apple's decision also lands after a Wired report noted that a vulnerability in ChatGPT's Mac app could have let hackers reach sensitive data.

Desktop-based AI agents let users give their apps expanded access to files, messages, and other personal content by tweaking macOS settings. In Muse's situation, the AI offers users the option to turn on Full Disk Access. According to Apple, this permission allows an app to reach files, mail, messages, and even browsing history.

"Some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems…without users' full knowledge and understanding," Apple stated in a new blog post directed at developers. The company said that moving forward it will add new controls designed to ensure that users who "genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access" can only do so through "very explicit user action."

"Addressing this is critical. As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially. We are committed to ensuring users clearly understand these risks before granting such access, so they can make informed decisions about their own data and privacy," Apple wrote.