Police in NJ scare parents over new feature on the iPhone

📱The new NameDrop feature on iPhones allows easy exchange of contact info

📱NJ law enforcement agencies issued warning to parents

📱Apple defends the feature's safety

Police departments in New Jersey are sounding the alarm about a feature on the iPhone. But Apple says the fears are overblown.

Apple says the NameDrop feature that comes with the latest iPhone operating system requires consent for the sharing of information.

The feature, which is on by default when iOS 17 is installed, allows users to exchange contact information by touching phones.

That has raised concerns about personal information inadvertently being shared, especially by children.

"While this transfer process does require approval, our intent is to make you aware of this new update so you can be informed and choose the settings that are best for you and your family," Stafford Police Department said on its Facebook page.

The post advised parents to change the settings on their children's iPhone.

Consent needed to share contacts

On a fact sheet about the feature, Apple says that NameDrop only works for sending new contact information, not updating an existing contact.

An Apple spokesperson told USA Today that even when contact information is shared, it is not an automatic process.

Users have to approve the share and can choose not to share by swiping from the bottom of the display, locking their device or moving their device away if the connection has not been established,

Want to turn it off?

📲 Bill Spadea explains the easy steps to turn off this feature. Click to see

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