iOS 14 beta privacy feature exposes apps like TikTok, LinkedIn, Reddit accessing user data

Due to multiple incidents, wherein high-profile tech industry brands were exposed for privacy violations, consumers are now more wary about how their information is protected. In fact, several countries have reworked regulations regarding how business with an online presence collects data from users. Meanwhile, hardware manufacturers such as Apple have integrated innovative improvements into its software. Shortly after its official introduction at WWDC 2020, iOS 14 is currently in beta. So far, the updated operating system has flagged a number of popular apps which attempted to access the clipboard.

Similar to how it works on computers, the clipboard is where the device temporarily holds information before it is copied or pasted to another field. So far, 53 applications on Apple's platform have been flagged by users for attempts to access the aforementioned data, as reported by the Independent. These include a broad range of apps from different categories like TikTok, Reddit, LinkedIn, CNBC, Weibo, AliExpress, and Bejeweled just to name a few.

iOS 14 is expected to bring a host of improvements to both the interface, functionalities, and security. It appears that Apple might have just included a powerful tool that helps iPhone owners become more vigilant when it comes to matters related to privacy. Many developers have apologised for the oversight and offered an explanation as to why their apps were designed to access the clipboard.

"Following the beta release of ‌iOS 14‌ on June 22, users saw notifications while using a number of popular apps," stated ByteDance. "For TikTok, this was triggered by a feature designed to identify repetitive, spammy behaviour. We have already submitted an updated version of the app to the App Store removing the anti-spam feature to eliminate any potential confusion."

"We tracked this down to a codepath in the post composer that checks for URLs in the pasteboard and then suggests a post title based on the text contents of the URL," said a representative from Reddit. "We do not store or send the pasteboard contents. We removed this code and are releasing the fix on July 14th."

This seems to be an eye-opener for the tech companies to disclose anything that could be deemed a risk to consumer's privacy. iOS 14 appears to be a step in the right direction to remind users and developers about the importance of security measures to prevent unsolicited access to private data.