iOS Safari Link Sharing Feature Allows Users to Edit Headlines, Spread Fake News

Misinformation is one of the biggest problems facing the internet and the world at large. Social media platforms are usually the ones that end up getting blamed for this sort of thing, but with all of that having been said and out of the way it is important to note that the latest scandal that has occurred in this regard has nothing to do with social media platforms at all but rather with a company that prides itself for being above the fray: Apple.

The problem has to do with Apple’s Safari browser, specifically the version of this browser that exists on various iOS devices and platforms. This version of Safari has a unique link sharing feature, one that is meant to make it so that users can share and comment on articles that they might have read online. However, the fact of the matter is that this feature has a problem associated with it. This problem is that it allows users to edit headlines before they post the article, something that could lead to some pretty disastrous consequences when it comes to things like misinformation and the like.

Users are able to share articles with altered titles, and this is something that could lead to a lot of fake news being shared. The fact of the matter is that most people don’t really think about reading the article, they mostly just read the headline and form an opinion based on that. This really isn’t a good way to go about doing things but it’s the nature of human behavior at this current point in time. Apple really needs to fix this issue before it gets out of hand, especially after such a contentious election has just occurred in the US which has lead to an increase in fake news.

H/T: BC and Intego.

Read next: Apple has launched the latest version of the TestFlight app with support for automatic updates, some improvements, and bug fixes