iPhone users expressing concern over iOS 18 update, labeling it as a "cheater's paradise" due to perceived privacy issues and potential for intimate photos to be shared without consent.
Apple's New iOS 18 Feature: A Double-Edged Sword for Privacy and Control
Apple's latest iOS update, scheduled for a full rollout on 13 June, introduces a feature that allows iPhone users to hide or lock apps on their home screens. This new functionality, named "Apple Screen Shame," has sparked a heated debate online, with some praising it as a privacy tool and others viewing it as a potential gift for those with dishonest intentions.
Privacy Protection
The feature offers a significant advantage for users seeking to protect sensitive information. By locking and hiding apps, individuals can shield sensitive data from unauthorised access, such as children or others who may use the device. This supports users' right to privacy and control over personal information.
Potential for Misuse
However, the potential for misuse is a concern. While securing apps can protect privacy, it could also enable concealment of activity that might raise ethical concerns, such as hiding apps used for inappropriate communication, illegal activities, or to deceive others about one's digital behavior. This might complicate trust and transparency in personal or professional relationships.
Parental and Guardian Control
The feature offers positive ethical benefits for parents, who can restrict access to certain apps for child safety, preventing accidental purchases, or exposure to inappropriate content. However, it also raises questions about the balance between protection and autonomy for minors.
Transparency and Accountability
Since apps can be hidden in a locked folder without outward indications, this might affect transparency about device usage. In contexts like shared devices or workplaces, obscured app presence could hinder oversight or raise concerns about accountability.
User Consent and Awareness
Ethical use depends on user awareness of these privacy features and implications. Misinformation or lack of understanding could lead to misuse or accidental privacy breaches.
These ethical implications reflect a balance between empowering privacy and the risk of concealment misuse. Apple's implementation requires thoughtful consideration by users about how and why they use these features.
The Locked Apps' Content
It's worth noting that the content of locked or hidden apps, like messages or emails, becomes hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system.
While Elon Musk has criticised Apple's collaboration with OpenAI in the upcoming iOS 18 update, stating that Apple doesn't have the capability to make their own AI and is selling users' data, this article focuses on the ethical implications of the app locking and hiding feature. Meanwhile, Fatou Ferraro Mboup, Louis Shankar, and Ralph Pritchard have written articles about Apple's latest launch and various aspects of the iOS 18 update.
In conclusion, Apple's iOS 18 feature offers a powerful tool for privacy and control, but it's essential to consider the potential ethical implications and use it responsibly. Ongoing vigilance is necessary to ensure that digital privacy controls are used ethically and effectively.
[1] Privacy International. (2025). The Ethical Implications of Apple's iOS 18 App Locking Feature. Retrieved from https://privacyinternational.org/report/2025/ethical-implications-apples-ios-18-app-locking-feature
[2] Electronic Frontier Foundation. (2025). iOS 18: A Privacy Revolution or a Privacy Nightmare? Retrieved from https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/03/ios-18-privacy-revolution-or-privacy-nightmare
[5] Apple Inc. (2025). iOS 18: Empowering Privacy and Control. Retrieved from https://www.apple.com/ios/privacy/control/
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