Security Friday: Siri’s “Learn from this app” Feature, Facebook’s Big Changes, and more…

Hi Readers, Cullen here. People have been panicking on social media over the past couple of weeks over claims that Siri has been slyly sneaking data out of almost every app on your device based on a setting called "learn from this app," which is on by default for most apps.

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Privacy & Security   January 31, 2025 Editor's Note Hi Readers, Cullen here. People have been panicking on social media over the past couple of weeks over claims that Siri has been slyly sneaking data out of almost every app on your device based on a setting called "learn from this app," which is on by default for most apps. This, like so many other social media panics, is not really based in truth. If you saw those posts, rest assured your data is safe from that particular setting. Scroll down to read more! Between viral panics and the TikTok ban and then unban, social media is a blessing and a curse. I'm a big fan of the decentralized Twitter replacement called Mastadon, which doesn't have ads or an algo. Do you use social media? Which platforms? Cheers! Cullen Thomas, Senior Instructor at iPhone Life IN THIS NEWSLETTER 🗒️✅ Your Security Checklist 🏆🎖️ Test Your Security Skills 📰 Your Weekly Security Update 🤨 This Should Be on Your Radar 📡 🍎📱Security Updates from Apple 🍎   🗒️✅ Your Security Checklist If you take nothing else from this newsletter, do these three things to protect yourself: It's always a good idea to regularly double-check your privacy settings, especially if you use social media. Find out how to perform a Privacy Checkup for your Facebook account. Most third-party apps will collect data about you, and that is linked to you. Before you install an app, be sure to check the App Privacy section. Regularly run an app privacy report to check what your apps have been up to and what type of data they've been accessing or collecting. For a rundown of our top security tips, attend our free intro class on cybersecurity for Apple enthusiasts on Wednesday, February 5, at 4:30 p.m. ET.   🏆🎖️ Test Your Security Skills What should you do in the following scenario? You're doing a Google search for a local restaurant's menu. When you click the top link, it takes you to a Google account sign-in page before allowing you to view the menu 🤔. Click the browser back button to make sure you got there from a legitimate Google search result and not by accident. Check the URL to make sure the site is legitimate. Go back and try a different website from the results page. Scroll to the bottom to see how you did! In partnership with NordVPN January Deals for Our Favorite VPN A VPN service is a crucial part of your online security toolkit. It encrypts your data and routes it through a secure connection, hiding your data from prying eyes. Sign up for NordVPN today and get 72% off in an exclusive iPhone Life deal!     Siri's "Learn from this app" Feature Does Not Steal Your Data Social media has been buzzing with allegations that an on-by-default setting permits Siri to quietly steal information from nearly every app you use, including your banking apps. A menu located in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Apps, gives a list of all the apps that Siri can learn from. Tap on an app and toggle off Learn from this App if you'd like Siri to stop learning from that app. The Bottom Line: This setting only permits Siri to learn when you use certain apps, and for how long, so Siri may suggest that app to you in Spotlight search based on your use patterns. That processing is done on your iPhone and is never transmitted elsewhere. Siri does not read data from these apps, and certainly does not transmit that data to third parties. Read more.   🤨 This Should Be on Your Radar 📡 Apple Disables AI Summary of News Push Notifications Apple Intelligence has a feature that summarizes your push notifications, including news headlines and breaking stories. These are typically very brief, and already worded with great care. After pushback from journalists worried Apple Intelligence's frequent gaffs could have real consequences when summarizing breaking news, Apple has temporarily disabled the summarization of news headlines from iOS 18.3, saying the feature needs refinement and will be back soon. The Bottom Line: You can disable AI Summaries of push notifications on an app-by-app basis. Go to Settings > Notifications > Summarize Notifications > then toggle them on or off for whichever apps you prefer. Get 72% Off Our Favorite VPN (sponsored) Beware on Facebook: Meta No Longer Shielding Your from Conspiracy Theories Facebook's algorithm had been set up to detect conspiracy theories and pseudo-scientific claims of dubious purview and automatically show them to fewer people. This feature has been disabled in the USA, but remains functional elsewhere. Google with Care: Scammers Take Over Google Ads When you google something, the top few results are paid promotions, spots that are highly coveted by scammers distributing malware. Now Malwarebytes' anti-malware service has detected a new and brazen effort to turn legitimate company's google ads into scams. In partnership with Incogni Start the New Year with a Digital Blank Slate Data brokers collect your personal information and sell it with just a few clicks. Incogni wants to help you take back your data just as easily by dealing with data brokers on your behalf. Sign up for Incogni today and save 55% using code IPHONELIFE.   The Bottom Line: Beware of promoted links in Google results. Always double-check to make sure the link URL goes to the right website. Biden's (Final) Cybersecurity Order Aims to Protect Critical Infrastructure You can read about the order, but it's generally good things: requiring government bodies to use encrypted communication, limiting devices to those with sufficient security certification… the everyday stuff you'd expect. Read more at Cybersecurity Dive. Time to Switch from Chrome: Google to Allow Device Fingerprinting (Again) Device fingerprinting is a technique where advertisers collect large amounts of user data whenever they visit websites, about how the site is used, mouse movements, and more. They can compare that kind of usage data between different sites to form a profile or "fingerprint" of a given user without needing to assign a tracking cookie. Google had forbidden this practice for privacy reasons, but recently announced they will no longer forbid it. Related: How to Switch Default Search Engines in Safari Start the New Year with a Digital Blank Slate (sponsored) Your GM Car Was Selling Your Acceleration, Speed, Location, and More, but the FTC Has Intervened General Motors has settled with the FTC over allegations of its collection of data from private vehicles for sale to insurers. The settlement prohibits GM from selling user data for five years, and requires them to create robust systems to collect user consent, permit users to see what data is collected, and delete their data permanently.   🍎📱Security Updates from Apple 🍎 Everything you need to know about Apple's latest software updates. The most recent iOS and iPadOS is 18.3 The most recent macOS is 15.3 The most recent tvOS is 18.3 The most recent watchOS is 11.3 The most recent visionOS is 2.3 Apple released a round of security updates on Jan 27, focusing on patching a flight of serious bugs, and temporarily disabling the Apple Intelligence feature that would summarize push notifications from news apps, including sensitive headlines. A few of the bugs that stand out to me: bugs in AirPlay that would let remote attackers crash or run code, bugs in Passkeys that could let an app access BlueTooth, and one bug in the CoreMedia engine that has been allowing malicious apps to exploit devices running iOS 17.2 and before. Finally, in iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence is activated by default for all devices that can run it (only the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max). In partnership with Surfshark Keep Your Number Off the Web Did you know every time you enter your phone number on a form or website, you're at risk for getting it leaked? With so many places requiring phone numbers, it's no wonder the amount of spam calls and texts has skyrocketed. Surfshark Alternative Number provides a virtual number to mask your real number from unwanted eyes. Don't give your number to strangers; put your privacy first. Sign up for Surfshark today for just $3.49/month plus four months for free!     Security Skills Answer The correct answer is C, Go back and try a different website from the results page Google search results can be hijacked by scammers in various ways. Some websites may appear to have a legitimate domain name and URL, but are in fact scam websites set up to collect usernames and passwords that might be useful elsewhere. Keep Your Number Off the Web (sponsored)   Mission Statement There is far too much security and privacy news to cover it all. When building this newsletter, we look for scams, hacks, trouble, and news to illustrate the kinds of problems Apple enthusiasts may encounter in our private lives, and the self defense we can practice to keep our devices, accounts, and lives secure. Our commentary focuses on practical advice for everyday people. This newsletter was written by Cullen Thomas and Rhett Intriago and edited by Donna Schill.   Next Steps For a rundown of our top security tips, attend our free intro class on cybersecurity for Apple enthusiasts on Wednesday, February 5, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Interested in maintaining privacy while browsing the web? Check out: Keep Your Web Browsing Activity Private How to Stop Websites Tracking Your Phone   Premium Content If you enjoyed this newsletter, you'll love all the security content available on iPhone Life Insider! This premium subscription includes: The complete iPhone Life Privacy & Security Course for Apple Enthusiasts and other free online courses taught by expert instructors In-depth guides on everything from security to iPhone photography to other Apple devices Daily, bite-sized video tips on topics ranging from iCloud security to password management A digital subscription to iPhone Life Magazine, where you'll find articles covering the best security gear, apps, and in-depth how-tos The monthly premium iPhone Life Security Newsletter covering everything you need to know to keep your digital life secure Access to the ad-free version of the iPhone Life Podcast and exclusive bonus content Expert help with all your most pressing Apple Watch questions in our private Ask an Expert Facebook Group Join the Insider community today and save 30 percent! Did we help with your security concerns? With your feedback, we can improve this security newsletter. 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