Apple’s unfulfilled macOS privacy promises: a four-year reflection

In 2020, Apple committed to significant privacy and security updates for macOS following a massive server outage that disrupted several services, including app verification, or app notarization. This feature ensures apps are safe by checking for malware and confirming the validity of developer certificates. During the outage, macOS attempted these checks but, instead of gracefully failing, apps took an unusually long time to open—highlighting weaknesses in Apple’s verification process.

Apple responded by promising several fixes, including the ability for users to fully opt out of online notarization checks. They also pledged to stop logging IP addresses associated with app verification and improve privacy protections overall.

While Apple did make some improvements—such as encrypting Developer ID certificate checks and halting IP logging—key promises remain unfulfilled. The most notable missing feature is the opt-out option for online notarization checks, which still haven’t been released. References to this feature were removed from Apple’s documentation in 2023, leading many to believe the company may have scrapped these plans altogether.

This unresolved issue continues to frustrate users who are concerned about delays caused by server outages. Apple’s reluctance to release the opt-out feature raises privacy concerns and limits user control over how their devices handle security checks. Given Apple’s reputation for prioritizing security, the absence of this critical update feels like a missed opportunity to enhance both privacy and user experience.