Southwest Airlines made headlines this week when a captain threatened to turn back a jet on the runway after someone gave passengers nude photos on board using the iPhone AirDrop capability.
The pilot is heard stating in a now-viral TikTok video, "If this continues while we're on the ground, I'm going to have to pull back to the gate, everybody's going to have to get off, we're going to have to involve security and... vacation is going to be ruined."
The pilot gave the command, "You people, whatever that AirDrop thing is, quit sending sexual images, and let's get yourself to Cabo."
According to an article in the New York Post, a comparable occurrence happened in June aboard a Southwest flight.
A customer who admitted transmitting inappropriate images to everyone on the trip was detained by airport police after the airline workers called for their help.
Many people have grown more anxious about "cyberflashing," or the possibility of receiving unwelcome, explicit images, in light of these instances and others like them.
Some politicians, notably those in the state legislature of New York, are even drafting legislation that would specifically forbid cyberflashing in light of the rise in occurrences in recent months.
How then can you ensure the safety of both you and your loved ones?
Here's all you need to know about the AirDrop feature, which is utilized in cyberflashing, as well as precautions you may take to prevent receiving offensive photographs from strangers while flying.
A look at the iPhone AirDrop function from Apple
A program called AirDrop is pre-installed on every iPhone.
When traveling, you can use this function even if your phone is in aeroplane mode since it lets iPhone users communicate images to other iPhone users using a Bluetooth wireless connection that runs independently from Wi-Fi and cellular communication networks.
The Bluetooth communication technology utilized for the AirDrop function is the same one that enables computers to connect to a wireless mouse or keyboard and allows iPhones to use AirTags to locate your luggage.
You must be within a few hundred feet of a device to use this feature, though the range may be smaller depending on the devices being used and the location you're in.
Since everyone on a flight is typically within Bluetooth range of one another, AirDropping photos is frequently possible.
You may quickly share huge photo files and collections of photos with others using the AirDrop feature without needing the time or storage space needed for emailing or messaging.
AirDrop is a fun and practical feature to use for sharing travel images because it also allows you to send photos to groups of people, including individuals who are not on your contact list.
However, given its capacity to share photographs with strangers, the AirDrop feature also lends itself to possible abuse despite being simple to use and useful.
Thankfully, there are a few easy steps you may do to prevent receiving any unwanted communications through the function.
How to prevent cyberflashing
In the latest cases aboard Southwest Airlines aircraft, passengers within Bluetooth range of the senders were given access to obscene photographs via AirDrop.
With a notice asking whether to accept or reject the photos, the pictures appeared as a preview similar to the one above.
Even though improper photographs can be rejected by AirDrop recipients, the preview itself can be concerning, especially for parents traveling with children who might be using iPhones, iPads, or other Apple devices.
Fortunately, Apple offers a number of simple solutions to stop such unauthorized photos from being sent to your devices.
Start by turning off Bluetooth from the settings menu on the home screen (where you would put your device into aeroplane mode).
This disables you from transmitting or receiving any Bluetooth signals, which makes it impossible for you to connect to Bluetooth devices like game controllers and headphones.
Another technique to guard your iPhone against unauthorized images is to link it to Bluetooth devices while traveling.
Start by navigating to the settings page on your iPhone, selecting "General," and then hitting the AirDrop button.
To restrict the types of photographs you can receive, select "Contacts Only" or "Receiving Off" from the AirDrop menu on your smartphone.
Only people on your device's contact list can share photographs with you via AirDrop when "Contacts Only" is enabled.
Receiving Off, meanwhile, stops any photos from entering your device, regardless of where they are coming from.
You can prevent unwanted images from strangers from ever reaching your device by choosing one of these alternatives to the readily accessible "Everyone" option.
In conclusion
The necessity for passengers to be careful of their Apple devices' settings has been underlined by recent instances of explicit photographs being shared using AirDrop on aeroplanes.
You may simply defend yourself from cyberflashing by carrying out the preceding measures.
Toggle to a different option and then back to your preferred option if you want to temporarily adjust your preferences.
By taking these safety measures, you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe when traveling.
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