Although it may not get as much attention as the shiny new iPhones or some of the other features in the newly released iOS 17, Apple’s operating system update has some important safety features for…
With this new version, Apple’s Communication Safety feature, which warns children when receiving videos or images that contain nudity, is expanding. The feature will be added to FaceTime video messages, Contact Posters and the Photo picker that people use to select photos or videos to share or upload. And, by default, it will be turned on for all children enrolled in a family-sharing plan. Unless it’s disabled, any incoming nude images on a child or teen’s phone will be blurred.
Anyone can access the content for parents on an iPhone or iPad by going to Settings, clicking Screen Time followed by Communications Safety and “View Child Safety Resources.” You can also access the content from the Sensitive Content Warning screen in the Privacy and Security section. Parents are advised that “communication is the key” and to “express interest in the apps your child uses and the sites they visit … so you can understand the platform, its privacy settings and why your child likes it.” The conversation, said ConnectSafely, “can be short, but you should revisit it periodically. Reassure them that if something bad happens, you’ll be there for them.”