GoKawiilApple's iOS keyboard blocks autocomplete for 100,000+ words, researcher finds
Independent researcher Derik Kauffman uncovered a hidden 'grey list' embedded in Apple's operating system containing over 100,000 words and phrases that iPhone's predictive text and swipe-typing will not complete or suggest. The list includes drug references, sexual terms, but also politically charged phrases like 'Trayvon Martin', 'Kashmir dispute', 'Muslim extremist' and, in Hebrew, 'the occupied territories'. Users attempting to swipe-type these phrases often get altered results, such as 'United Ireland' becoming 'United Iceland'.
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Kauffman described the restrictions to Reuters as a 'light-touch form of censorship,' suggesting Apple may be shaping language around sensitive political and social topics without users' awareness. Because the list operates silently within predictive text rather than as an explicit block, it raises questions about how much influence tech companies exert over everyday communication. The presence of region-specific restrictions, such as Hebrew and Arabic phrases tied to geopolitical conflicts, could indicate Apple tailors suppression differently across markets, though the company's intent remains unconfirmed.
- Apple's iOS has a hidden 'grey list' of 100,000+ words/phrases excluded from autocomplete and swipe-typing.
- The list includes drug and sexual terms alongside politically sensitive phrases like 'Trayvon Martin' and 'Muslim extremist'.
- Some restrictions are language-specific, such as blocking 'the occupied territories' in Hebrew and 'the Hamas movement' in Arabic.
Source: theguardian.com — Aisha Down, 2026-11-07
Published there as: “Apple Keyboard has a blacklist of phrases you can't swipe”
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