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Apple plans new controls for Mac Full Disk Access after criticism of Meta's Muse AI agent and claims it read private messages. The change aims to protect user data and privacy.
Apple said on Friday that it plans to change its Mac operating system to make it more obvious when AI agents ask to access all of the data on Macs. The move follows criticism of Meta's Muse, an AI agent that can carry out complex tasks such as canceling unused subscriptions or haggling for better prices. The announcement was made in San Francisco on October 2, the same day Reuters reported on the plan.
Some users claimed that Muse accessed what they believed to be private messages. On Apple's iPhones and iPads, no single app can access data inside another app by default, a technique called sandboxing. Macs, however, are more flexible because of a Full Disk Access option.
Mac Full Disk Access Under Scrutiny
Full Disk Access allows apps such as cloud backup services to access all the data on a machine, but only with a user's permission. Apple said on Friday that some developers were using the Full Disk Access feature in ways that could put users at risk.
Apple wrote in a post that going forward it will introduce additional controls to ensure that users who genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access can only do so with very explicit user action. The company added that as AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially.
Apple also said it is 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 declined to comment beyond its post.
Meta Muse and Private Message Claims
Apple's move comes after Inc magazine technology columnist Jason Aten accused Meta's Muse of reading private messages on his Mac. Aten said he had not enabled Full Disk Access, which would normally be required for such access.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone pushed back against those claims last week. Stone said Muse's access to Apple's Messages app is strictly opt-in. He wrote on social media platform X that a user has to enable both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector for Muse to be able to read Messages content.
Stone added that Muse cannot read Messages unless the user does this, and that the access can be revoked at any time. Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Apple's announcement.
Why Sandboxing and Permissions Matter
The dispute highlights a long-standing difference between Apple's mobile and desktop operating systems. On iPhones and iPads, sandboxing keeps apps isolated from one another by default, which limits how much data any single app can reach. On Macs, the Full Disk Access option gives users a way to grant broader permissions when they need it, such as for backup or security tools.
Apple's planned changes would add explicit user actions before an app or AI agent can gain full access to a Mac's data. The company is responding to concerns that autonomous AI agents could quietly request or obtain more access than users expect. The timing of the rollout was not announced, and Apple did not provide additional details beyond its post.
The debate over Muse and Full Disk Access has drawn attention from developers and privacy advocates. As AI agents take on more tasks on personal computers, the permissions they request are likely to become a bigger focus for both users and platform makers. Apple's stated goal is to keep users informed before they grant access that could expose private data.
Apple Mac Full Disk Access Meta Muse AI Agents Privacy Jason Aten Andy Stone
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