In the next iOS update Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), The iPhone will get a feature that has long been suggested by child safety activists. Minors in the United States will be notified when they try to send or open messages with sensitive photos.
iOS 15.2: Minors Receive Warning Before Submitting Intimate Photos
Apple announced plans to implement this feature back in the summer; But since then, the company has decided to slightly adjust its work: when trying to send or open a message with such a photo, only minors iPhone users running iOS 15.2 will receive warnings, but not their parents. Activists reacted to this decision in two ways: some positively assessed the company's concern for the privacy of young users even before their parents, others felt that in this case, the danger remains.
Thorn, a non-profit organization, has conducted a study, the results of which are somewhat shocking. According to a report released in November, 14% of children ages 9-12 have sent confidential images in the past year, up from 6% last year. In 2020, according to the organization, 21% of children of this age considered it normal to send such materials - in 2019 this opinion was held by 13% of respondents. According to Apple, system warnings will give kids the opportunity to change their minds and not make hasty decisions that can have serious consequences.
The new security feature in iOS 15.2 will be available through the Family Sharing setting; what parents will have to afford. The AI algorithm detects such content in the Messages application, the system displays a warning, and the image itself looks blurry until the user explicitly tries to open it. In addition to the warning itself, the system will prompt the young user to contact a trusted person if such images are sent under pressure. Apple emphasizes that it does not have access to this content due to end-to-end encryption of messages. Similar protection will appear in updates to iPadOS and macOS in the foreseeable future.
iOS 15.2
In the beta version of iOS 15.2, already available for testers, Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), introduced a number of new features; including the ability to search for third-party AirTag trackers that attackers can use to spy on the user.
A new feature is available in the Find Me app. This allows you to scan other people's radio beacons and detect AirTag in a timely manner; or another compatible device that is invisibly attached to the user's clothing or belongings.
If the tracker is found, the system will show the user information about the device; and suggest turning it off so that it can no longer be used for tracking.
