One in all our favourite options of iOS 16 is the power to edit and unsend iMessages. Simply long-press a message and you may select to edit or undo ship (we present you methods to edit and unsend messages right here). However advocates have raised issues that the system could possibly be abused by unhealthy actors–texting abuse is widespread amongst these in abusive relationships, and the power to alter or cover proof is regarding.
Whereas Apple has not addressed these issues publicly, some adjustments to the system in iOS 16 developer beta 4 appear focused particularly at them. You used to have quarter-hour to edit or unsend a message, and edited messages would solely present an “edited” tag to the recipient. The brand new guidelines are as follows:
- You solely have two minutes to finish Unsend a message.
- You continue to have quarter-hour to Edit a message, however you possibly can solely edit it as much as 5 occasions.
- Both occasion can faucet the “Edited” label to see an inventory of prior edits.
With these adjustments, the power of an abusive accomplice or scammer to make use of the system for hurt is vastly diminished. A two-minute window to delete an iMessage continues to be loads of time to catch these “oops I despatched this to the unsuitable individual” or “I actually shouldn’t reply and simply let it go” moments, however vastly reduces the power to message somebody and know that they’ll see it earlier than you vanish all hint of it. Logging (and limiting) edits retains an proof chain for many who would possibly want it sooner or later.
In fact, this function nonetheless solely applies to iMessages (blue bubbles). Common SMS textual content (inexperienced bubbles) can’t be edited or deleted.