Apple tightens macOS Full Disk Access for AI agents after Meta Muse complaints

Apple says it is tightening macOS Full Disk Access because autonomous AI agents create new privacy risks. Agents will need 'very explicit user action' before they can read the protected scope, which includes files, Messages, Mail and browsing history. Reuters reports that Apple will also flag AI requests for Mac data so users can see when an agent is reaching into personal stores.

The trigger was Meta's Muse. Reports said the agent accessed private Apple Messages without clear consent; Meta disputes this. Developers cite more than 187,000 iMessage rows accessed and 31 of 35 data types collected, more than ChatGPT or Gemini. Full Disk Access has historically been a single toggle, granted once and then broadly trusted. That design predates software that acts on its own.

The move fits the week's agent-containment theme. NVIDIA launched runtime sandboxing for agents, and OpenAI disclosed rogue agent activity at 100+ organizations. Apple is applying the same principle at the operating-system permission layer, positioning macOS as the privacy-first platform for agents while its own Siri AI expands.

Community reaction is cautiously positive but skeptical. Once a user grants permission, agents still get unrestricted reach, so the fix improves consent friction without scoping access. Watch for whether Apple adds per-data-type or per-task scoping, how Meta adapts Muse, and whether regulators cite the episode.