Long-awaited iOS 16 feature could destroy marriages and other relationships

Sometime in the next three months, Apple will release iOS 16. Two big new features are coming to the next iteration of the operating system; one of which is a customizable lock screen that allows users to make changes to the color of the clock on the lock screen and the font used on the screen. Weather animations bring a thunderstorm to life and the lock screen settings can be integrated to separate the focus mode settings.

Apple makes changes to iOS 16 that could backfire on victims of sexual harassment

In other words, another lock screen can be created to work with another screen made for sleeping. Developers can add custom widgets and iOS users who want to view sports scores in real time can see the scores as the games progress. For example, instead of following a game by viewing 50 notifications where each shows the score of the same game, a live widget can be used that shows score changes in real time.

As announced at WWDC earlier this month, exciting changes are coming to the iMessages feature in iOS 16. Users can edit messages, “undo” messages, and even have messages “unread.” And while these are features iPhone users have longed for, they can backfire. Several Twitter users talked about how allowing iPhone users to edit, “send” and make “unread” iMessages could crumble relationships, including marriages.

The ability to edit iMessages can be dangerous for victims of sexual harassment. In a June 14 letter written to Apple CEO Tim Cook, attorney Michelle Simpson asked Tuegel Cook to make some changes to the new features. With iPhone users having 15 minutes to edit or delete a message, that gives a bad actor the ability to send a threatening email to a victim and still 15 minutes to hide the threat as if it never existed.

During the 15 minutes, the bad actor was able to edit the message multiple times. In her letter, Simpson Tuegel wrote: “It is not uncommon for abusers in situations like this to deny having even sent abusive messages, using their victim’s trauma to ‘gaslight’ them so that they no longer believe they are doing it.” have been victimized.”

Apple still has plenty of time before iOS 16 is released to make some changes. One solution suggested by Simpson Tuegel is to reduce the time users are given to edit and delete their posts from 15 minutes to two minutes. This would make it unclear to the bad actor that he will be able to make the necessary cuts in time without getting caught.

Michelle Simpson Tuegel writes to Tim Cook asking him to make necessary changes to protect victims of sexual abuse

When a message sender edits or “unsends” a message, users are notified. But they don’t get to hear what the message actually said before deleting or editing the message. And those iPhone users who are not using iOS 16 can see the original message.

The Simpson Tuegel law firm suggests that users can opt out of the edit/delete feature. By doing this, users would not be able to edit or delete their posts. With iOS 16, a “Recently Deleted” feature allows users to read messages that have been deleted for up to 30 days. After 30 days, these messages will be permanently deleted and gone forever. The user can manually delete messages before the 30 day period expires.

The attorney’s letter concluded by saying, “Apple is a leader in the technology industry and the rollout of these new iMessage features gives the company an opportunity to lead by example and influence how other messaging platforms use their services. protect users from harassment and abuse.”

Michelle Simpson Tuegel has called on Tim Cook to make the changes needed to bolster the new features. “While I don’t believe that Apple is deliberately trying to do any harm by announcing its new iMessage feature,” she writes, “I hope you will take these concerns seriously to ensure the rights of victims and survivors are protected. respected and responsible.”