Digital ghosts: iPhone glitch revives deleted photos, sparking privacy concerns
- Replies 5
The digital age has brought us many conveniences, but it also comes with its fair share of glitches and surprises.
For many Australians over 60, managing technology can sometimes feel like a full-time job, especially when unexpected issues pop up.
For iPhone users, a recent glitch has certainly raised more than a few eyebrows and concerns about privacy.
Imagine deleting photos from your phone, confident they're gone forever, only to find them resurfacing years later.
That's exactly what's been happening to some iPhone users, leaving them ‘thoroughly freaked out’.
This eerie glitch seems to be linked to the latest iOS 17.5 update, which was released on Monday, May 13.
The update, which promised to bring more word games to Apple News+, as well as robust security improvements to Apple's Maps, Notes, and Find My apps, has instead brought back memories some users would rather forget.
From ‘NSFW [not safe for work] material’ to old holiday snaps, these digital ghosts popped up unexpectedly, causing quite a stir among the affected.
One user took to social media to express their shock, saying, ‘Latest iOS update has brought back some pictures I deleted in 2021. Erm, so yeah. Very creepy. Thoroughly freaked out.’
And they're not alone. Others also reported similar experiences.
‘I have four pics from 2010 that keep reappearing as the latest pics uploaded to iCloud. I have deleted them repeatedly,’ one user shared.
‘One pic from June 2023 reappeared on my iPhone photo library. I'm sure because, in April 2024, I transferred all my photos/videos to a computer and afterwards cleaned all photos/videos from the iPhone (including trash bin). I don't use iCloud Photos,’ another added.
‘Some pictures from a few years ago have come back for me. It's really shocking. They are in the recent images, actually, and that's what is worrying me,’ a third agreed.
Normally, Apple's Photos app has a ‘Recently Deleted’ folder that keeps your deleted images and videos for 30 days, giving you a chance to recover anything you might have deleted by accident.
However, this glitch is dredging up images and videos deleted months or even years ago, bypassing this safety net and raising questions about how deleted content is stored and managed.
The concerns went beyond just the surprise of seeing old photos again. Many users expressed their worry about the privacy implications.
‘Isn't it a really big thing? I mean, Apple is a privacy advocate, but if deleted files are not really deleted after so many years. How can we trust it?’ one user questioned.
‘This looks really bad on Apple. They'll absolutely need to explain themselves and why they're keeping deleted photos for years,’ another pointed out.
The glitch had even led to personal drama, as one user shared on another platform.
The user mentioned that his girlfriend had his ear ‘ear chewed by my girlfriend’ after the glitch resurfaced old photos of an ex-partner.
‘She was looking for a photo that we took this past weekend on my phone, and a photo of my ex pops up on her. No matter what I said, she didn't believe me,’ he said.
‘I was like no way is this real, and went to my gallery, the first thing I see is a pic from 2020,’ another Apple user shared.
In addition to the resurfacing photos, some users reported another bug that fills their camera roll with unexplained blank images.
‘These just came out of nowhere,’ one user commented, sharing a screenshot of several plain black photos.
‘I do have one weird issue that suddenly appeared, a series of black "Live Photos" all taken at the same time on a phone that's sitting in a drawer powered off!’ someone else shared.
Apple was contacted for comment on these issues, but at the time of writing, there's been no official response.
The recent iPhone glitch that caused deleted pictures to mysteriously reappear left many users unsettled, with some facing awkward situations due to resurfaced images of old flames.
This unsettling bug raised concerns about privacy and the reliability of data management on Apple devices.
In light of this, it's essential to be aware of how your iPhone might inadvertently expose personal information.
For further insights, Apple has explained a 'scary' feature that could impact your privacy in ways you might not expect.
Have you encountered any strange glitches with your devices? How do you manage your digital privacy? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.
For many Australians over 60, managing technology can sometimes feel like a full-time job, especially when unexpected issues pop up.
For iPhone users, a recent glitch has certainly raised more than a few eyebrows and concerns about privacy.
Imagine deleting photos from your phone, confident they're gone forever, only to find them resurfacing years later.
That's exactly what's been happening to some iPhone users, leaving them ‘thoroughly freaked out’.
This eerie glitch seems to be linked to the latest iOS 17.5 update, which was released on Monday, May 13.
An iOS 17.5 update glitch caused old, previously deleted photos to resurface on iPhones, alarming users. Credits: Shutterstock
The update, which promised to bring more word games to Apple News+, as well as robust security improvements to Apple's Maps, Notes, and Find My apps, has instead brought back memories some users would rather forget.
From ‘NSFW [not safe for work] material’ to old holiday snaps, these digital ghosts popped up unexpectedly, causing quite a stir among the affected.
One user took to social media to express their shock, saying, ‘Latest iOS update has brought back some pictures I deleted in 2021. Erm, so yeah. Very creepy. Thoroughly freaked out.’
And they're not alone. Others also reported similar experiences.
‘I have four pics from 2010 that keep reappearing as the latest pics uploaded to iCloud. I have deleted them repeatedly,’ one user shared.
‘One pic from June 2023 reappeared on my iPhone photo library. I'm sure because, in April 2024, I transferred all my photos/videos to a computer and afterwards cleaned all photos/videos from the iPhone (including trash bin). I don't use iCloud Photos,’ another added.
‘Some pictures from a few years ago have come back for me. It's really shocking. They are in the recent images, actually, and that's what is worrying me,’ a third agreed.
Normally, Apple's Photos app has a ‘Recently Deleted’ folder that keeps your deleted images and videos for 30 days, giving you a chance to recover anything you might have deleted by accident.
However, this glitch is dredging up images and videos deleted months or even years ago, bypassing this safety net and raising questions about how deleted content is stored and managed.
The concerns went beyond just the surprise of seeing old photos again. Many users expressed their worry about the privacy implications.
‘Isn't it a really big thing? I mean, Apple is a privacy advocate, but if deleted files are not really deleted after so many years. How can we trust it?’ one user questioned.
‘This looks really bad on Apple. They'll absolutely need to explain themselves and why they're keeping deleted photos for years,’ another pointed out.
The glitch had even led to personal drama, as one user shared on another platform.
The user mentioned that his girlfriend had his ear ‘ear chewed by my girlfriend’ after the glitch resurfaced old photos of an ex-partner.
‘She was looking for a photo that we took this past weekend on my phone, and a photo of my ex pops up on her. No matter what I said, she didn't believe me,’ he said.
‘I was like no way is this real, and went to my gallery, the first thing I see is a pic from 2020,’ another Apple user shared.
In addition to the resurfacing photos, some users reported another bug that fills their camera roll with unexplained blank images.
‘These just came out of nowhere,’ one user commented, sharing a screenshot of several plain black photos.
‘I do have one weird issue that suddenly appeared, a series of black "Live Photos" all taken at the same time on a phone that's sitting in a drawer powered off!’ someone else shared.
Apple was contacted for comment on these issues, but at the time of writing, there's been no official response.
The recent iPhone glitch that caused deleted pictures to mysteriously reappear left many users unsettled, with some facing awkward situations due to resurfaced images of old flames.
This unsettling bug raised concerns about privacy and the reliability of data management on Apple devices.
In light of this, it's essential to be aware of how your iPhone might inadvertently expose personal information.
For further insights, Apple has explained a 'scary' feature that could impact your privacy in ways you might not expect.
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