Recently, Apple has released iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 beta updates, and these updates arrive with various new features and upgrades. With the latest updates, the company will start checking public iCloud links for harmful content.
Apple to check public iCloud links for harmful content
As per Apple’s support page, when you share an item that can be accessed by Anyone with the Link in version 27.3 or later of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS, that content is made accessible to Apple to check for harmful content.
It is specified that when you share content that’s stored in iCloud, such as a photo in iCloud Photos or a file in iCloud Drive, you can choose to Share a Link or Send a Copy of the item. When you choose Share a Link, you can either share the item with ‘People you choose’ or with ‘Anyone with the link,’ which makes it accessible to anyone who has the link, including Apple.
When you share an item that can be accessed by Anyone with the Link, to facilitate that sharing, the item is no longer end-to-end encrypted, even if the owner or participants have turned on Advanced Data Protection.
The company has also warned that if you try to upload harmful content, Apple reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove, or delete the content at any time. It may also take action against your Apple account, including blocking or disabling your Apple Account, blocking the ability to create a new Apple Account with the associated email address or phone number, or if necessary, involving law enforcement.
