This iPhone feature can share your contact information in an instant, so you want to make sure to turn it off.

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iOS 17

Every time Apple launches a new iOS it's usually exciting and full of new features, new emojis, and updates to old features.  In fact, iOS 17 has a lot of really neat features added to your device like being able to watch a live transcript of a voicemail as it's being left on your phone.  There are plenty of exciting new features that you can learn about through Apple's website. However, one feature has many law enforcement agencies across the United States concerned, and they warn you should turn this off.

NameDrop

The feature that has many concerned is the new NameDrop feature where you can instantly share your contact information by just putting your iPhone or Apple Watch up against another.

Hold your iPhone near someone else’s iPhone or Apple Watch⁴ to use NameDrop. You’ll both be able to choose the specific phone numbers or email addresses you want to share, and you can share them along with your Contact Poster instantly.

The issue is this feature defaults to on when you update to iOS 17.

NameDrop Test

I tested this feature with my iPhone and my friend Travis' iPhone, and for both of us the feature was defaulted to "on."  How it works is you put your phones together and automatically your contact info will be shared.  I did try to see if this feature would work if the iPhones were locked, and it worked then too.  That's where I see a  problem.  If you or someone is out in public and lay your phone down all someone has to do is put theirs against it to get your contact info.

Law Enforcement Warns Citizens to Turn Feature Off

I've seen different law enforcement agencies across the country sharing warnings about this feature, and even the Vincennes Police Department here in southern Indiana. If you have updated to iOS 17, here's how you turn that feature off: go to Settings, General, AirDrop, and you'll see "Bringing Devices Together" toggle it to off.  Also, an important reminder to parents from the Vincennes Police Department, if your kids have iPhones, make sure this feature is off for them as well!