Apple Will Now Check Public iCloud Links and May Disable Accounts
Apple's new check covers only iCloud items shared with Anyone with the Link, but Apple hasn't defined harmful content or explained its method, and reports mention no appeal.
Apple will start checking iCloud items shared through public links for harmful content, according to a support document it published this week, 9to5Mac reports.
The check starts with iOS 27.3, the successor of iOS 27.2, now in developer beta, with matching updates for iPadOS, macOS and visionOS.
It covers files shared from iCloud Photos and iCloud Drive with “Anyone with the Link.” Apple has not said what counts as harmful or how the checks work, so the one thing a user directly controls is a sharing setting.
Apple Checks Only Items Shared With Anyone, Not End-to-End Encrypted Files
iCloud offers two ways to share a photo or file: “People you choose” and “Anyone with the Link,” and only the second is checked.
The support document does not say anything about links sent to chosen people, or whether Apple scans files that are not shared at all.
A public link removes end-to-end encryption from the shared item, even when Advanced Data Protection stays on for the account.
It is likely that the check begins at the point where Apple can already read the content. Apple’s own wording is that such items “will be checked by Apple for harmful content.”
Nonetheless, the beta is out now, while a stable release is expected in December.
Apple Reserves the Right to Block Accounts, Not Just Delete the Shared File
The consequences reach past the file. Apple says it “reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove, or delete” content at any time.
For the person who shared it, Apple may block or disable their Apple Account and involve law enforcement if necessary.
Apple also warns it could block new accounts tied to the same email address or phone number.
As an Apple Account is the login behind iCloud storage, backups, and purchases, the impact could go beyond the shared link. However, Apple’s document does not list which services would be affected.
What Apple Has Left Undefined
Apple does not define harmful content. The law-enforcement reference likely points to malware or CSAM, an issue that triggered a West Virginia lawsuit against iCloud earlier this year. However, the checks could also cover other unlawful content.
Apple has also not said whether humans, automated systems, or both will make the call, and that users are left with something The Register calls “Apple’s mercy”.
AI-based moderation notoriously struggles with context, opening the door for false flags and accidental account suspensions, the report notes. Still, Apple has remained silent on how it intends to prevent algorithmic errors.
Source: With iOS 27.3, Apple will start checking iCloud public links for ‘harmful content’
