Meta has responded to allegations that its Muse AI accessed user messages without consent, clarifying the opt-in nature of its integration.
Meta has responded to claims that its Muse AI agent accessed user messages on Mac computers without proper authorization. This comes after a tech journalist alleged that Muse read his iMessages without consent.
On Wednesday, Andy Stone, the head of communications at Meta, clarified on X that the integration of Muse with Messages is entirely opt-in. He emphasized that users must actively enable both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector for Muse to access any messages, and these permissions can be revoked at any time.
Stone's comments were in response to a report from Jason Aten, who claimed that Muse synced his Messages database even though he had disabled Full Disk Access. Aten described Muse as a personal AI capable of executing tasks like sending emails and making travel bookings. It was launched on September 8 and has seen over 2.5 million downloads within weeks.
Despite Aten's claims of not granting access during setup, he reported that Muse suggested ideas based on private conversations and flagged messages from his editor. When questioned, Muse stated it had only seen pop-up notifications, which Aten disputes, asserting that it synced his local Messages database.
David Singleton, who leads Meta's Superintelligence Labs, acknowledged that Muse's explanation regarding notifications was inaccurate, stating that the AI only syncs Messages data when access is granted. He reiterated that accessing Messages requires fulfilling three specific permission requirements, and macOS security protocols cannot be bypassed, even if there is a bug in the app.
This incident raises concerns about permission settings for AI agents, which are crucial for protecting sensitive user information. The controversy also highlights broader issues, as Amazon has barred Muse from its platform, citing concerns over identity disclosure and potential customer credential capture. Meta maintains that Muse does not have access to passwords or payment information.
