How Bluesky draws its logo on screenshots (timmarinin.net)

Article summary

The article discusses how the Bluesky app draws its logo on screenshots, which is achieved by rendering the logo underneath a UITextField with the isSecureTextEntry property set to true, allowing iOS to blank the text field when a screenshot is taken. This technique is used to display the logo on screenshots without it being visible in the app itself. The author notes that this trick is well-known and has been used by other apps, such as Telegram and Signal. The technique is made possible by a package called expo-privacy-sensitive.

Main themes

• Screenshot manipulation
• App development tricks
• User privacy
• iOS security features
• App design

What commenters say

• Some users find it annoying and hostile when apps manipulate screenshots for their own benefit, rather than allowing users to capture what is actually on their screen.
• Others argue that this feature is reasonable and useful for certain use cases, such as preserving secret data or creating a more visually appealing screenshot.
• There is a desire for more user control over what is included in screenshots, with some suggesting an option to include or exclude secret data.
• The ability of apps to manipulate screenshots is seen as an example of apps being given too much control over user devices, and some argue that this is a trend that should be reversed.
• Some users prefer to use third-party clients or alternative apps that do not engage in screenshot manipulation, in order to have more control over their experience.
• The use of screenshot manipulation for security or privacy purposes is seen as a form of 'security theater' by some, who argue that it does not actually provide meaningful protection.
• There is a need for more transparency and user control over data storage and syncing, particularly with regards to password managers and cloud-based services.