Meta has denied a journalist’s allegations that its AI assistant, Muse, accessed private messages without user consent. In response to a report by Inc. columnist Jason Aten, Meta’s VP of Communications, Andy Stone, clarified that the company stands by its assertion that user consent is required for Muse to access messages.
In a post on X, Stone stated, “The Messages integration in the Muse app for Mac is entirely opt-in. You must enable both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector for Muse to read your Messages content. It can’t access your Messages without user approval.”
Despite this statement from Meta, many individuals remain skeptical about the company’s transparency.
This skepticism is understandable, especially considering Meta’s history of mishandling user data, which has led to legal issues, violations by the FTC, and significant penalties. Recently, a jury in New Mexico found that the company misled users regarding its data practices, stemming from the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018.
User trust in Muse will be crucial for Meta in the burgeoning consumer AI market. Although the app currently ranks first on the App Store, any further similar allegations could jeopardize Meta’s reputation. Engaging more directly with journalists to understand such claims could be a more constructive approach than outright denials.
In addition to Stone’s remarks, David Singleton, an executive at Meta Superintelligence Labs, addressed Aten’s concerns on Threads. He clarified that for Muse to access messages on a Mac, users must complete a three-step permission process that involves application-level permissions and built-in protections from macOS. Singleton emphasized that these protections cannot be bypassed even if there were flaws in the Muse application.
The permissions require users to explicitly allow Muse Full Disk Access, after which they can select the extent of access to the Messages app (options include None, Read Only, or Read). If Full Disk Access isn’t enabled, these choices remain inactive.
Moreover, granting Full Disk Access prompts a confirmation through the macOS Settings interface, ensuring that users actively consent to this step. Singleton noted that this action requires a restart of the Muse app, making unintentional permission granting unlikely.
However, Aten reported that his messages were read while Full Disk Access was disabled, claiming that Muse indicated it was syncing his “device notifications.” Thus, Aten interpreted this as Muse possibly sharing the text from incoming banner notifications on his Mac.
Singleton refuted this assertion, stating that the AI provided a misleading explanation of the situation. He referred to Meta’s information regarding Muse’s security measures and bug bounty programs.
In summary, the company asserts that what Aten claims occurred could not have happened.
This incident isn’t isolated, as another user, YouTuber Matt Robb, recently reported that Muse mishandled a task related to selling items on Facebook Marketplace, which resulted in his address being revealed and a buyer arriving at his home while he was away. Singleton has indicated that this situation is under investigation, suggesting that they may take responsibility for this particular case.
