Apple plans to change its Hide My Email privacy feature that could make it less effective

Apple plans to shift new Hide My Email aliases from @icloud.com to @private.icloud.com in the coming weeks. The change could make the privacy feature less stealthy by allowing apps and websites to identify and potentially block anonymous email sign-ups, while existing aliases will keep working.

The move weakens one of Hide My Email’s key advantages: blending private aliases in with ordinary Apple addresses. It also highlights a broader tension between user anonymity, platform operations, and growing pressure from governments and services to identify account holders.