Apple introduces privacy rules for third
9to5Mac • • general
Key Points:
- Apple has updated its Developer Program License Agreement to introduce strict rules on how third-party accessories handle forwarded notifications and Live Activities, specifically for users in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
- The new rules prohibit third-party accessories from using forwarded notification data for advertising, profiling, training models, or location monitoring, and restrict sharing this data or encryption keys with any other device, including the user's iPhone.
- Accessories must not alter the content of forwarded notifications beyond necessary display adjustments, and developers are barred from storing this data remotely except when required to deliver it to the accessory.
- Apple emphasizes that notification and Live Activities data can only be decrypted on the accessory itself, and users control whether their data is shared with third-party devices via a user-level setting.
- This update comes despite Apple’s previous concerns that DMA requirements could introduce privacy and security risks by exposing sensitive user notification content to third parties.
