{"id":46364,"date":"2025-01-08T14:25:37","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T19:25:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=46364"},"modified":"2025-01-08T14:25:37","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T19:25:37","slug":"opting-out-of-help-apple-improve-search","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/08\/opting-out-of-help-apple-improve-search\/","title":{"rendered":"Opting Out of “Help Apple Improve Search”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Norbert Heger<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Apple has recently shown a noticeable tendency to collect, gather, transmit, and sometimes even store privacy-sensitive data – despite repeatedly emphasizing the importance of protecting such data and ensuring it remains solely on the user’s device.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

macOS Sequoia introduces another new feature labelled Help Apple Improve Search<\/em>, which sends and stores various search queries from Safari, Spotlight, and other sources to improve search results.<\/p>\n

This feature, too, is enabled by default and is well hidden at the very bottom of System Settings > Spotlight<\/em>.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

Even if the data sent is not directly linked to me as a person, the data itself may contain information I might not want to share with third parties.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

It’s worth noting that the new option in System Settings only governs the storage<\/strong> of this data, not its transmission<\/strong> to Apple. If Include Safari Suggestions<\/em> is enabled in Safari Settings > Search<\/em>, inputs into the search field are still sent to Apple for providing suggestions. To prevent this, Include Safari Suggestions<\/em> must also be disabled.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

As with Siri Suggestions<\/a>, the UI is not exactly clear, and though both System Settings and Safari’s settings window have Privacy<\/strong> tabs, that’s not where these options appear.<\/p>\n\n

As Fazal Majid<\/a> reminds me, another recent example is that Firefox was criticized for opting users into Private Click Measurement<\/a>, which Apple had also done with Safari.<\/p>\n\n

I find that I’m often accidentally typing or pasting into the new Type to Siri window because I’ve accidentally triggered it by double-tapping the Command key.<\/p>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n