Today, we were contact by a parent whose child was “AirDropped” a non-consensual intimate image wanting to know how to prevent this from happening in the future.
AirDrop is a feature on Apple devices that lets ANYONE share files with others nearby (within 12 meters, or 40 feet) and a user doesn’t need Wi-Fi or cellular data for it to work.
Teens often use AirDrop to share stuff they need for school like content needed for a joint school project. Sometimes, just for giggles and laughs, they even make a game of sending random stuff to other teens around them. However, there’s a downside – some teens and even people who the teen does not know, can use the AirDrop feature to send mean or embarrassing stuff to others, like inappropriate pictures or hateful remarks.
So, how do strangers or non-contacts send things to your child’s device? There are three AirDrop settings to be aware of :
- Receiving Off: Your child won’t get any AirDrop requests.
- Contacts Only: Only people in your child’s contact list can see their device.
- Everyone: Any nearby Apple device can see your child’s device and send them stuff. This is risky.
To see what AirDrop settings your teen has activated on their phone:
- Tap “Settings”
- Scroll down and tap “General”
- Tap “AirDrop”
At the bare minimum, they should have AirDrop set to “Contacts Only”
No matter what the settings for the AirDrop feature on your child’s phone, they can change these settings easily. If you’re worried, you can turn off AirDrop on their device. Here’s how:
- Go to “Settings”.
- Tap on “Screen Time”.
- Then, tap on “Content & Privacy Restrictions”.
- Tap on “Allowed Apps”.
- Turn off AirDrop.
- To make sure your child can’t turn it back on, set a passcode in Screen Time settings. (tap “settings”, tap “screen time”, tap “use screen time passcode”)
- To ensure that your child can’t overrise the passcode – tap “settings”, tap “screen time”, tap “content & privacy restrictions”. Scroll down tap “allow changes”, tap “passcode changes”, and then tap “don’t allow”.
Another concern – cybercriminals have the capability to transmit malware or viruses through AirDrop. Once infected, their phone can potentially compromise or steal sensitive information, leading to significant harm to both children and their families, or to steal personal details such as names, addresses, and phone numbers for fraudulent purposes.
AirDrop can be handy, but it also has some risks. Your child might get stuff they don’t want, and anyone with an Apple device can send them things, even if they don’t know them. Plus, there’s no way to report bad stuff sent through AirDrop.
Before restricting this Apple Function, make sure you sit down and have the who, what, where, how, and why discussion with your child. This may also be something that you as the parent or caregiver want to change on your phone so that people who you don’t know can’t send you something you don’t want to see! If you do allow your child to use the AirDrop feature, make sure they know to “Reject” an AirDrop request from someone they do not know!
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
