Apple to Check Shared iCloud Links for Harmful Content

Apple will check iCloud items shared with the “Anyone with the Link” setting for “harmful content” in version 27.3 and later of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS, the company says.

According to a support document reported by 9to5Mac, content shared this way will be accessible to Apple for review. Sharing an item through an “Anyone with the Link” link also means it is no longer end-to-end encrypted.

Apple’s support document does not define “harmful content.” The policy follows calls from protestors for the company to crack down on child sexual abuse material stored in iCloud.

Apple says it reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove, or delete harmful content that a user attempts to upload. It may also block or disable accounts, prevent users from creating new accounts, or, “if necessary,” involve law enforcement.

The company released the first developer betas of version 27.3 a day before the report. Apple recently said it plans to launch iOS 27.3 in December.