Stories
Meta's New AI Agent Muse Faces Privacy Concerns Over Access to Private Messages
- •Meta's new personal AI agent, Muse, is under scrutiny after a tech columnist claimed it accessed his private messages without permission, a claim Meta disputes.
- •Journalist Jason Aten reported that Muse referred to his private conversations and synced his Messages database, despite him having Full Disk Access turned off on his Mac.
- •Meta states that Muse cannot read a user's Messages unless both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector within Muse are explicitly enabled through multiple permission steps.
- •AI agents like Muse often require extensive access to user data (contacts, calendars, messages, etc.) to function, raising concerns about data privacy and security.
- •Users are advised to grant minimal permissions, regularly review app settings, watch notification previews, and keep sensitive conversations separate when using AI tools.
Key Questions Answered
Meta's personal AI agent Muse faced privacy questions after a technology columnist claimed the tool accessed his private messages without permission despite having Full Disk Access turned off on his Mac. While Meta disputed the claim and stated that the agent cannot read messages unless specific permissions are enabled, the incident highlighted broader concerns regarding how much personal data AI agents can reach when acting on a user's behalf.
According to Meta, Muse cannot read a user's messages unless they explicitly turn on both Full Disk Access and the Messages connector within the agent. The company notes that this process requires several permission steps, including a manual confirmation in the macOS Settings.
When using AI agents, experts recommend granting only the necessary access and starting with minimal permissions. Users should regularly check their phone and computer settings, consider hiding notification previews for sensitive apps, and avoid connecting AI tools to accounts containing banking, medical, or work information unless absolutely required.
