Cyberflashing, or sending unwanted nudes online, is a significant concern across the world, and over the years, various people have argued for stricter laws regarding the same. Last year, dating app Bumble launched a campaign called ‘#NeverFlashing’ to capture the government’s attention and make cyber flashing a crime as serious as physical.
Apple has also joined in the fight to curb this issue and has rolled out a new safety feature that warns against nude photos and sexual content sent on the iPhone. In a press release, the company announced that its upcoming iOS 17 software will have a Sensitive Content Warning feature that will alert users when they receive unsolicited nude images.
The feature works similarly to the Communication Safety tool that Apple has already included in Messages. It will use on-device machine learning to detect and blur any nude images or sexually explicit videos that are forwarded on iMessage, AirDrop, Contact Posters, and FaceTime video messages. It will even recognize videos, unlike the previous version of the tool that only scanned still photos. The user can then choose whether they want to view the content, decline it, or learn about ways to get help.
The new feature is set to arrive with iOS 17, which will be released this fall. It will be available on all iPhone models that support Messages and the new version of the WatchOS that supports Apple’s second-generation wearable.
