New iPhone feature could share your child’s contact info with strangers

Keeping kids safe in our current digital era isn’t always simple, as evidenced by a potential security risk found in the new Apple software update. Police departments around the country are warning parents about the update, which could make it easier for strangers to receive access to your child’s contact info without their knowledge or yours.

The feature is called NameDrop, and it allows users with iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 “to quickly share contact information with a nearby iPhone or Apple Watch,” according to the tech company. It could impact users with an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and other Apple devices. If one person holds their device close enough to another user’s, a NameDrop prompt will appear on both screens, allowing users to choose if they want to exchange new contact cards.

In the recent Apple iOS 17 update, the NameDrop feature has been automatically defaulted to ON, which means anyone looking for access to your child’s information could potentially get it all by coming close enough to their Apple device. Law enforcement officials are also warning about the update for elderly and less-savvy tech adult users who might not be aware of the feature.

An Apple spokesperson told USA TODAY the update was designed to share information “with only intended recipients” and that both parties would have to agree to the info swap, adding, “If NameDrop appears on a device and the user does not want to share or exchange contact information, they can simply swipe from the bottom of the display, lock their device or move their device away if the connection has not been established.”

But for young children and teens, there’s definitely potential risk involved with keeping such a setting active. 

“If a stranger walks by your child and gets their contact information, they have their email,” tech and cyber security expert Alan Crowetz told CBS Philadelphia, “and we’ve seen how the bad guys, the pedophiles and whatnot really take advantage of email, phone number for texting… From a cybersecurity point, this is a major red flag.”

Thankfully, turning the setting off is easy. Go to Settings, General, AirDrop, Bringing Devices Together and select ‘OFF’ to disable it.