Google Temporarily Blocks Access for Apple Device Users Utilizing iCloud Private Relay

Users who rely on Apple's iCloud Private Relay service are facing temporary access restrictions when trying to use various Google services. These blocks occur when users make frequent or rapid requests, leading to interruptions in service.

According to reports, Google's automated systems are designed to prevent misuse of their services, including Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Scholar. However, these systems sometimes mistakenly categorize legitimate user requests from Apple devices as automated bot traffic, resulting in users encountering frequent Captchas and, in some cases, being completely blocked from accessing Google services.

The issue primarily affects users on Apple devices, particularly those using the Safari browser on Mac computers. In contrast, iPhone users are less likely to experience these disruptions. The blocking mechanism appears inconsistent, with some users getting blocked after making requests too quickly, while others may not face any issues for extended periods.

iCloud Private Relay is a feature available to iCloud+ subscribers, which aims to enhance user privacy by obscuring the user's actual IP address. Apple routes requests through two separate relay stations, making it more challenging for sites to track user behavior. However, it seems that Google's systems have misidentified users of this feature as malicious traffic, leading to the aforementioned access issues.

In particular, access to Google Maps has been notably affected, but users have also reported problems with the main Google Search service, even when logged into their accounts. In some cases, switching to a different browser, such as Firefox or Chrome, may help bypass these access blocks. Furthermore, solving the Captchas does not consistently resolve the issue, as some users remain blocked even after completing the verification process.

A specific incident was reported where Google Scholar temporarily blocked all users utilizing iCloud Private Relay, including those with active accounts, indicating a broader issue with how Google manages traffic from Apple's privacy services.

Google is aware of the IP address ranges used by iCloud Private Relay, as Apple regularly publishes this information. Therefore, it would be feasible for Google to adjust their management systems to recognize and allow legitimate traffic from these users.

This is not the first time iCloud Private Relay users have encountered issues. Previous instances have included service interruptions and misidentifications of accounts as fraudulent by various service providers.

In conclusion, while Google aims to protect its services from abuse, the current blocking measures disproportionately affect genuine users of Apple's iCloud Private Relay, highlighting a need for better alignment between privacy features and service accessibility.