The NameDrop feature in iOS 17 has been the subject of mild panic after certain news organizations and law enforcement agencies made statements erroneously suggesting that it could be used to steal personal information without the owner's knowledge.

NameDrop is a feature added in Apple's iOS 17 and WatchOS 10.1 updates that allows users to share contact details and other information by placing devices next to each other. However, this has been incorrectly explained by some sources as requiring only that the devices be close together in order to share data.

Taking these explanations at face value, NameDrop seems like a vulnerability of concern, especially for children and users who are unaware that this feature is available on their phones. However, this is not the complete case and is less of a concern than these postings make it out to be.

The main thing to note is that while it is true that NameDrop is on by default, several conditions must be met for it to work.

First, the feature will only work on phones and watches with the correct updates. Assuming NameDrop is available on both devices, the transfer of information will only take place after confirmation by both parties. If there is no confirmation, no transfer will take place.

It is likely that Apple foresaw the potential threat and took steps to avoid it before introducing NameDrop. Thus, the possibility of data sharing occurring accidentally or without the knowledge of a single user is minimal, if not nonexistent.

If you are still uncomfortable with the NameDrop feature, you can easily turn it off. Follow these steps.