Twitter user @BmManski posted a video demonstrating a concerning FaceTime glitch on the morning of Feb. 28, and thousands of users from around the globe were quick to respond in alarm.
A bug regarding FaceTime was detected for iPhones running on iOS 12.1 or any later iOS platforms. This bug allowed a user to eavesdrop on another through FaceTime even when the recipient declined the call.
Although sophomore Natalie Graham was not exposed this glitch due to an un-updated phone, many of her friends have said that they were able to unintentionally eavesdrop using the FaceTime app.
“We’re understandably freaked out,” Graham said. “We all like to have some privacy, not every word should or needs to be shared with every contact in your phone trying to Facetime [you].”
“Usually when it’s FaceTime you are talking to close friends so it’s not a huge deal,” senior Isabelle Young said, “but at the same time it’s a total invasion of privacy.”
A week before @BmManski’s viral video, Tucson teen Grant Thompson had reported this bug to Apple. However, according to mother Michele Thompson, Apple was very slow to react to this report. Although she tried to warn Apple through multiple mediums such as email, Twitter, and even faxed the company, it was not until this glitch publically spread online that Apple responded to this issue.
Shortly after the bug going viral, Apple temporarily disabled the group facetime feature, and started working on a permanent software fix to this glitch.
“I don’t think that this type of mistake is worthy of any precautions,” sophomore Jason Hauk said. “If they had given out credit card info or texts that would be really bad, but I’m just not that worried about someone eavesdropping on me.”
Nine days after the videos of the FaceTime glitch went viral, Apple rolled out iOS 12.1.4 and macOS Mojave 10.14.3, which fixed the issue of eavesdropping. In addition to this, Apple stated that it would compensate Grant Thompson for bringing the problem to Apple’s attention before the public awareness of this bug spread more than a week later.
“[This] software update fixes the security bug in Group FaceTime … In addition to addressing the bug that was reported, our team conducted a thorough security audit of the FaceTime service and made additional updates to both the FaceTime app and server to improve security,” an Apple spokesperson said on the new iOS and macOS Mojave updates.
This isn’t the first time that an iPhone user is able to eavesdrop on another due to an Apple software glitch. Last year, iPhonetricks.org demonstrated that it was possible to eavesdrop through the Control Center function by manipulating the Live Listen feature which was originally aimed at helping Apple users with hearing problems. Essentially, by changing the settings in control center, a user could put their Apple device in a room that they wanted to eavesdrop on.
“I would be worried in that case … this changed my view of Apple as a company since people’s privacy is not being protected anymore,” Junior Gloria Marquez said.
However, other Aragon students aren’t too affected by this news, as this doesn’t drastically change their perception of Apple as a company.
“I’m still a loyal Apple user, which I guess doesn’t shine the best light on my morals, but it’s just a phone to me. [The iPhone] is a lot easier to use socially with iMessage and Facetime … that’s why it doesn’t change my opinion of them that much,” Young said.
Similar to Young, Veronica Yang does not believe that her view of Apple as a company has changed, and she will continue to be an iPhone user.
“Personally I will still continue using Apple just because I’m not too nervous and don’t really care too much about it,” she said.
“I believe I will keep using Apple products as they work pretty well and it’s convenient because they are super common… Every technology has their glitches, so I don’t think switching would really protect me,” Graham said.
In light of this blunder, Apple promises to be better in responding to such bugs more quickly and effectively.
Though Apple declined to comment directly, they publicly reassures users of their privacy.
“We sincerely apologize to our customers who were affected and all who were concerned about this security issue … We are committed to improving the process by which we receive and escalate these reports, in order to get them to the right people as fast as possible. We take the security of our products extremely seriously and we are committed to continuing to earn the trust Apple customers place in us,” Apple said.
