Bug Blamed for Instagram Unexpectedly Accessing Camera in iOS 14

[MacRumors]

Some users have noticed that Instagram is unexpectedly accessing the camera, reports The Verge.

Users have reported that the green "camera on" indicator was displayed in iOS 14 when scrolling through their feed, but not taking a photo or a video. In a statement to The Verge, a spokesperson for Instagram said that the behavior was a bug and is being fixed.

"We only access your camera when you tell us to — for example, when you swipe from Feed to Camera. We found and are fixing a bug in iOS 14 Beta that mistakenly indicates that some people are using the camera when they aren't," the spokesperson said. "We do not access your camera in those instances, and no content is recorded."

Instagram's bug is the latest in a series of unexpected app behavior controversies revealed by iOS 14's aggressive privacy notifications. iOS 14 notifies users when an app or widget pastes text from the clipboard or accesses the camera or microphone. Since the release of the iOS 14 developer and public beta, a large number of popular apps, such as LinkedIn, Reddit, and TikTok, have been discovered to be covertly accessing clipboard data.

Last year, Instagram's parent company, Facebook, was found to be accessing the camera in the background whenever the app was in use, without the users' knowledge.

Article Link: Bug Blamed for Instagram Unexpectedly Accessing Camera in iOS 14

 

[Johnkoo]

Yep, they are all “bugs”, well explained Facebook.

 

[gtmead09]

It’s a feature until your caught and suddenly it’s reclassified as a bug. Whoops........

 

[Apple_Robert]

It seems that Instagram and several other app developers are in need of a large can of bug spray, as they appear to be unknowingly infested with lots of creepy crawlers. I suggest calling Orkin or buy in bulk from Amazon.

 

[Naviest]

You call it a “bug” .. Facebook calls it a “Feature”

 

[tranceking26]

Another day, Another privacy bug! Camera this time! It will be the mic next.

 

[now i see it]

Catch-all phrase when getting busted; "it's a bug!"

 

[phalseHUD]

Facebook are scum. Thankfully I’ve no need to infect my phone or life with their products/services.

 

[Westside guy]

Users have reported that the green "camera on" indicator was displayed in iOS 14 when scrolling through their feed, but not taking a photo or a video. In a statement to The Verge, a spokesperson for Instagram said that the behavior was a bug and is being fixed.

Seems to be a lot of that going around...

 

[nfl46]

Lol. Yeah, a “bug” their internal teams have known about for years.

 

[WordsmithMR]

Ya'll are still using Facebook apps after all the years of "bugs" and privacy issues that we have seen come from them? Wait... I forgot which reality fork I live in. This all makes sense actually.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I am rather surprised so many MacRumors veterans use Instagram and Facebook, in spite of the fact said company has been caught lying numerous times to the public. They shouldn’t be trusted in any fashion. For safety purposes, it would be a good idea to remove from your Apple devices and close down accounts.

 

[WordsmithMR]

Instagram's bug is the latest in a series of unexpected app behavior controversies revealed by iOS 14's aggressive privacy notifications.

What you call "aggressive" I call transparent and consumer-friendly. Words matter. Please use them accordingly.

 

[iBluetooth]

"We found and are fixing a bug in ‌iOS 14‌ Beta"

as they can't release a beta for iOS 14 yet, then this "bug" must also exist in their iOS 13 app. Why do they then try to hide it with this statement?

 

[MacBH928]

"unexpectedly" is doublespeak for "programmed"

 

[pmau]

I know it's not a useful comment. But ... What The ****

 

[klerke]

That explains why Mark covers his own cameras. 🤔

 

[retta283]

All these "bugs" are is FB and other companies trying to cover themselves when their tactics get exposed. Gullible believe it and the rest don't care because they're so addicted to the apps that they won't quit regardless of the poor business tactics of these companies.

 

[justiny]

I am rather surprised so many MacRumors veterans use Instagram and Facebook, in spite of the fact said company has been caught lying numerous times to the public. They shouldn’t be trusted in any fashion. For safety purposes, it would be a good idea to remove from your Apple devices and close down accounts.

This comment should be transitioned to an urgent global public service announcement, and not just for online tech nerds like us. It amazes me what these companies (especially Facebook) is allowed to get away with, all under the operation of most people being simply unaware.

 

[thefourthpope]

Sketchy sketchy, not unexpected.

 

[nutmac]

That explains why Mark covers his own cameras. 🤔

I bet he covers his smartphone cameras too.

 

[thefourthpope]

I am rather surprised so many MacRumors veterans use Instagram and Facebook, in spite of the fact said company has been caught lying numerous times to the public. They shouldn’t be trusted in any fashion. For safety purposes, it would be a good idea to remove from your Apple devices and close down accounts.

I agree but IG is useful in some respects. We post for work on it, as my university institute needs to communicate with students where they are. I post separately to be in touch with other beekeepers, as that’s where they are (I hope to revert to more direct and in-person community once COVID allows meetings). Plus there’s some fun content on there. I do my best to use with caution; it’s the best I can do.

 

[justperry]

What Apple should do is, sue them, they should ask for the source code, only then we would know if this really was a bug or programmed as a backdoor to the camera..

Probably the latter.

 

[dannyyankou]

I think the past month has really shown why Apple builds their walled garden so high. Apps accessing the clipboard, the camera, etc.

 

[Lucas284]

What would happen if Apple decides not to allow Facebook on any iPhone?