Police Warn About Apple's NameDrop Feature Amid Child Safety Concerns

Experts Argue Fears Over Feature, Which Requires Near Physical Contact and User Consent, Are Unnecessary

Apple's new NameDrop feature, part of the iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 updates, allows users to quickly share contact information with a nearby iPhone or Apple Watch.
Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. have raised concerns about the feature, warning that it could inadvertently lead to children sharing their contact information with strangers.
Police departments have issued instructions on how to disable the NameDrop feature for concerned parents.
However, experts argue that fears over NameDrop are unnecessary as the devices have to be almost touching each other for NameDrop to be activated and the user must consent to the information exchange.
Despite the concerns, Apple has not yet commented on the issue.