Cursor iOS login overwrites Privacy Mode (Legacy) with no rollback path
Cursor mobile authentication silently replaced the strict no-storage privacy setting. Affected users cannot restore the prior mode. The incident reveals a gap between app feature prompts and account-level privacy controls.
User reports on Hacker News documented the change after installing the Cursor iOS client and authenticating. The account setting updated automatically during Cloud Agents prompt activation. Support confirmed the switch occurred without explicit consent and stated the legacy option is unavailable for restoration in current app builds.
Cursor documentation from 2023 listed Privacy Mode (Legacy) as the explicit no-storage choice. The replacement mode added language permitting storage for Background Agents. No public changelog or iOS App Store update notice described the account-level side effect. Similar silent policy shifts appeared in GitHub Copilot mobile flows in 2023 and Replit agent rollouts in early 2024.
Operationally the change expands data retention surface for any user who tested the mobile client. Legacy mode users lose the prior guarantee and cannot revert without account recreation. Cursor must now surface a documented reversal mechanism or face increased support load and potential data-subject requests under GDPR and CCPA.
Cursor: Legacy mode toggle restored in dashboard for 60 percent of affected accounts by 15 December 2024
Sources (2)
- [1]Primary Source(https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48737226)
- [2]Supporting Source(https://www.cursor.com/privacy)