How APPLE’S AIRDROP Can Land Your Child in T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!!!

In case you are unfamiliar with Apple’s AIRDROP, it works like this:

• Your Apple device constantly searches for other Apple devices via WIFI or bluetooth. For WIFI this is everyone on the same WIFI as you, and for bluetooth it is everyone within 30-40 feet of you.
• You then choose to share media or a file and hit the share icon.
• By tapping on the AIRDROP icon you get a display of everyone nearby that is eligible to receive from you (more on that in a minute).
• You select the recipient and off goes the file!

There is also an Android equivalent,

The problem can arise with “who is eligible”.

On the SETTINGS >>> AIRDROP screen you can control who you receive files from:

• No one (by turning receiving OFF)
• Only people in your contacts (recommended)
• Everyone

And herein lies one of the major dangers: If a person has not restricted who they can receive an AIRDROP from, then they can be “AIRDROP-ed” by anyone. While ideally this would be someone with good intention and who wants to send the picture of a cute kitten, etc., this also enables your device to be “bombed” by folks with mischievous or even evil intent.

Check out this headline:

The teenager (age unknown) in the article was on a plane and decided to AIRDROP the picture of an Airsoft gun to whomever he could connect to. Not a very wise decision, obviously. Now that young person is having close encounters with some “very serious people” who have absolutely ZERO sense of humor where potential terrorism and crime are concerned.

The thing is, when you think about a child’s mind, including a teen’s, it is not hard to see them doing something like this. As a child/teen, they are unaware of the large issues and dangers they are playing with. Parents need to sit down and talk to them about not “photo-bombing” people in this way.

But, there is other blame to be had. In my opinion, the folks who had their devices wide open hold a portion of blame, as well. We don’t feel sorry for people who leave cars or houses unlocked. In some jurisdictions you can even be cited for it, because your behavior “fosters” crime. All the recipients of the AIRDROP photo should not have had AIRDROP settings that allowed a total stranger to send them anything. Besides a photo-bomb such as this, it is a perfect way to get infected by a virus or malware (and, YES, Apple devices are at risk, too).

Even if the AIRDROP-ed file is not and image of a weapon or other form of perceived threat, AIRDROP can get children in trouble with other types of content:

• Sending nude or otherwise inappropriate pictures/video of themselves to strangers. Depending on the ages of the sender, this could result in the recipient having child pornography on their device. And the sender may face charges of distributing it.
• Sending unwanted pornography is a crime in many states, and could qualify as a federal crime in certain circumstances.
• Taking a picture of your own test answers and AIRDROP-ing them to the class can result in suspension or expulsion.

By and large, technologies are neither bad or good (there are always exceptions). The danger lies in how they are used and mis-used. So, have a talk with your kids about how to responsibly use AIRDROP. And help them change their own settings so they don’t get an unwanted surprise!

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