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Predictive text in Safari appearing with all settings OFF

Nope1239

Nope1239

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 20, 2017
19
8
Predictive text in Safari appearing above the keyboard with "Predictive" toggled "off" for "Keyboards" settings. "Safari Suggestions" settings are "off," and all Siri settings toggled "off" including "Search & Siri Suggestions" for Safari.


Steps to Reproduce: Open Safari, navigate to a web page with considerable text content (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States). Click the address bar. Predictive text, likely "Annuit coeptis" and "United States" will appear in this example.
For other sites, it may be necessary to click "cancel" and then the address bar a couple times to generate predictive text above the keyboard.


Expected Results: No predictive processing/overhead should take place, and no predictive options should be provided above the keyboard when the setting is otherwise appropriately toggled "off."


Actual Results: Predictive processing occurs ignoring appropriately toggled setting and text appears above the keyboard. Appears to be limited strictly to Safari.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Helmsley
I’m getting that too on certain websites...
 

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Nope1239 said:
Predictive text in Safari appearing above the keyboard with "Predictive" toggled "off" for "Keyboards" settings. "Safari Suggestions" settings are "off," and all Siri settings toggled "off" including "Search & Siri Suggestions" for Safari.


Steps to Reproduce: Open Safari, navigate to a web page with considerable text content (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States). Click the address bar. Predictive text, likely "Annuit coeptis" and "United States" will appear in this example.
For other sites, it may be necessary to click "cancel" and then the address bar a couple times to generate predictive text above the keyboard.


Expected Results: No predictive processing/overhead should take place, and no predictive options should be provided above the keyboard when the setting is otherwise appropriately toggled "off."


Actual Results: Predictive processing occurs ignoring appropriately toggled setting and text appears above the keyboard. Appears to be limited strictly to Safari.
Click to expand...
I actually get this while I'm in this thread. If I tap on the address bar I will see that predictive text you mentioned above the keyboard. Sometimes it doesn't show up on the first tap, but if I go to the address bar the second or third time I will usually see it for some reason.
 
I thought I was the only one with the issue due to a lack of initial response. I have the phone completely locked down. Predictive setting is toggled OFF in keyboard setting. Siri is OFF. I have everything OFF purposefully, yet, predictive text populates in Safari as shown above in Helmsley's post.

This has me concerned that these privacy minded settings may not be respected within the iOS framework and should not be trusted. If anyone at apple is listening, OFF means OFF. This should include WiFi and Bluetooth settings in Control Center. OFF means OFF. OFF meaning DISCONNECT, or MAYBE OFF is *NOT* a feature!

I am awaiting a 11.0.1 update to see if this is fixed.
 
*Edit, sorry see you have this off already. Ignore! Works for me though.

Settings > Siri & Search > Safari

Switch this off :)

B2BCF0A3-753C-42CF-A0BD-67980F58A32B.png
 
Update: This is NOT fixed in iOS 11.0.1.

Settings NOT respected, and predictive text still appears in Safari with all settings toggled off.
 
Anyone else with this issue?

I have also noticed that some of the predictive suggested text is NOT found within the individual web pages within Safari, which means that predictive processing is taking place (likely off the device and on Apple's servers).

So much for respecting Privacy.
 
Nope1239 said:
Anyone else with this issue?

I have also noticed that some of the predictive suggested text is NOT found within the individual web pages within Safari, which means that predictive processing is taking place (likely off the device and on Apple's servers).

So much for respecting Privacy.
Click to expand...
While I see the glitch on some pages, it seems like it's a stretch to imply something about privacy or something happening remotely just based on that.
 
For me it seems to pop up when there is a "me" specific answer. So if someone texts me "where do you want to go for dinner" no suggestions pop up. But if someone texts me "what is your address" my address will pop us a suggested response.
 
C DM said:
While I see the glitch on some pages, it seems like it's a stretch to imply something about privacy or something happening remotely just based on that.
Click to expand...

I guess this depends on where the predictive processing and from where the suggested text is coming. I do not believe it is processed on the phone but instead on Apple's servers, specifically because the suggested text is not found anywhere else on the visited pages, was not previously typed into the keyboard (not in the phone's generative dictionary), and it is only tangentially related to what was keyed in the first place.

If data from the keyboard is being sent to Apple for predictive processing/suggestions, this would be a privacy concern for those that do not want to send this data to Apple and have disabled/toggled off those settings. Apple's privacy policies and safeguarding of information aren't really in question. They do a good job, and better than most companies. The data is leaking and iOS 11.0.1 is not respecting the settings. That the data leaks to Apple makes it no less a privacy concern to businesses, government, etc.
 
Nope1239 said:
I guess this depends on where the predictive processing and from where the suggested text is coming. I do not believe it is processed on the phone but instead on Apple's servers, specifically because the suggested text is not found anywhere else on the visited pages, was not previously typed into the keyboard (not in the phone's generative dictionary), and it is only tangentially related to what was keyed in the first place.

If data from the keyboard is being sent to Apple for predictive processing/suggestions, this would be a privacy concern for those that do not want to send this data to Apple and have disabled/toggled off those settings. Apple's privacy policies and safeguarding of information aren't really in question. They do a good job, and better than most companies. The data is leaking and iOS 11.0.1 is not respecting the settings. That the data leaks to Apple makes it no less a privacy concern to businesses, government, etc.
Click to expand...
The keyword there being "if".
 
C DM said:
The keyword there being "if".
Click to expand...

I'll call it an educated guess from the documentation they've released on their predictive tech. I'm fairly confident in replacing "If" with "Since."

QuickType in iOS 10 used "Siri Intelligence"

https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/
upload_2017-10-4_13-28-55.png


Though, their documentation is ambiguous and unspecific as to what is sent vs. what is processed locally:
upload_2017-10-4_13-42-46.png


I understand the leak goes to Apple, and the exposure is minimal and likely protected, but there is a trend with settings not being respected or operating as a user would expect (control center wifi/bluetooth, for example). Does this predictive bug betray that the data is otherwise being siphoned up to Apple but just not displayed on screen for those with the setting toggled, or is the failure in respecting the setting? For some, that answer matters.
 
Last edited:
Nope1239 said:
I'll call it an educated guess from the documentation they've released on their predictive tech. I'm fairly confident in replacing "If" with "Since."

QuickType in iOS 10 used "Siri Intelligence"

https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/
View attachment 723444

I understand the leak goes to Apple, and the exposure is minimal and likely protected, but there is a trend with settings not being respected or operating as a user would expect (control center wifi/bluetooth, for example). Does this predictive bug betray that the data is otherwise being siphoned up to Apple but just not displayed on screen for those with the setting toggled, or is the failure in respecting the setting? For some, that answer matters.
Click to expand...
All of that is good and fine, it doesn't show that that's what's happening here though. The predictions might very well be coming through in some fashion for some reason (again, perhaps a bug/glitch), but that doesn't show that user input data is being gathered in that scenario.
 
C DM said:
All of that is good and fine, it doesn't show that that's what's happening here though. The predictions might very well be coming through in some fashion for some reason (again, perhaps a bug/glitch), but that doesn't show that user input data is being gathered in that scenario.
Click to expand...

Agree - Also, edited my post above. I'm not looking to win an argument but am looking at the issue objectively. I also don't expect Apple to work to my desired time line or to fix problems as I see them.

The glitch/bug/feature has me asking questions. That's all. Appreciate the insight and discussion.
 
This happens to me too.
Everything turned off and it suggests me things.
My privacy!!!
 
Nope1239 said:
As far as I can tell, yes, after updating I have not been able to duplicate the issue. I believe the bug has been corrected as of 11.2.
Click to expand...

I would say this is NOT corrected with 11.2. Also, some of the suggestions are not quite what you would expect solely based upon the page you are viewing. It's a bit strange.
 
stevexc500 said:
I would say this is NOT corrected with 11.2. Also, some of the suggestions are not quite what you would expect solely based upon the page you are viewing. It's a bit strange.
Click to expand...
Where are you seeing this in Safari when using iOS 11.2?
 
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