iOS apps that build their own social networks on the back of users’ address books may soon become a thing of the past. In iOS 18, Apple is cracking down on the social apps that ask users’ permission to access their contacts — something social apps often do to connect users with their friends or make suggestions for who to follow. Now, Apple is adding a new two-step permissions pop-up screen that will first ask users to allow or deny access to their contacts, as before, and then, if the user allows access, will allow them to choose which contacts they want to share, if not all.
For those interested in security and privacy, the addition is welcome. As security firm Mysk wrote on X, the change would be “sad news for data harvesting apps…” Others pointed out that this would hopefully prevent apps that ask repeatedly for address book access even after they had been denied. Now users could grant them access but limit which contacts they could actually ingest.
I don’t recall of it was android or the Apple jailbroken store, but they had plugins to replace your contacts and other personal data with dummy entries for apps unless you white listed them. Seems like such an obvious solution. At least they are catching up a decade later.
I want this for everything. Location, photos, contacts.
I know GrapheneOS implenents Contact Scopes so you can choose which contacts an app can see.