New iPhone update with 'Name Drop' sparks privacy warning: 'Help keep your kids safe'
Apple logo is seen on iPhone 15 Pro in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on November 22, 2023. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - Have you, or your kids, downloaded the latest iOS update for iPhone? Well, local police say you may want to change a new feature.
It's called "NameDrop," and it's automatically enabled with the iOS 17 update pushed out to iPhone users over the past week or so.
The feature allows your contact information to be shared with anyone who places their phone next to yours.
Shared information may include phone numbers, photos, email addresses and more.
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To shut off the feature, go into your Settings, click General, then Airdrop and switch off "Bringing Devices Together."
Local police are urging parents to make sure the feature is disabled on their children's phones.
"Don’t forget to change these settings after the update on your children’s phones, also, to help keep them safe as well!" police in Montogomery County said.
Apple says "NameDrop" cancels if both devices are moved away from each other, or if the iPhone is locked before the transfer is completed.
The company's website also states that contacts will not be shared unless you choose to do so.