Here’s What You Need To Know About the iPhone Name Drop Feature

The recent iPhone update has a feature that's stirred up a little bit of concern from law enforcement agencies across the country. The new feature is called Name Drop, and when you update your iPhone, it's automatically enabled. What this feature does is it allows people who have the feature enabled to place their iPhones next to each other to automatically swap contact information. This is according to the KAIT8 website.

That said, it's NOT like someone can just put their iPhone next to someone else's and swap the contact information. Even with the feature enabled you still have to consciously make a decision to share your contact card and receive the other person's. Some early reports on this new feature failed to mention that it's not completely automatic, which is partly what got some police departments concerned about the feature.

Is it good for iPhone users to know about the feature? Absolutely. Is it good for parents to be aware of the feature? Yes. That way they can decide if they want to leave the feature on or turn it off on their kid's phones.

The Name Drop feature is found in the same settings area as Air Drop. According to the Warrensburg Police Department, if you wish to disable it go to settings, general, airdrop, bringing devices together, and turn off the option for bringing devices together.

The Warrensburg Police Department also shared another piece of information that I think is important for iPhone users to know. The Name Drop feature "cannot be used to steal info as both iPhone screens must be unlocked, and each user must allow the info to be shared."

At best, Name Drop is an easy way to share your contact information. Maybe like a digital business card. At worst, it's a feature you may wish to disable on your young family members' phones if you think there's potential for information you don't want to be shared, to be shared.