Beware if using latest ios 17.x (My Card)

[neverbored]

*this only applies to iPhone users

If you use your iphone for hobby (sp/client), and happen to store contacts in it. You might want to disable the "my card" feature.

The "My Card" is basically your contact info which can be personalized (default uses your icloud real name).
Similar to a business card, you can share this by bumping devices and via messaging and calling.
Apple has recently upgraded it to push the updated details to contacts you have in your phone. It can be manual or automatic.... the automatic could be an issue.

For example:

John: Uses his personal or office iPhone. He doesn't care about hiding the number, but prefers to use an alias (ex: John) and has stored the SPs contact in his phone (perhaps under a false name)
SP: She has his number stored in her phone (for good or bad reasons).
John: calls SP. Since she's in his contacts, his actual info being set in "My Card" can be automatically synced to SPs phone if configured as such.
SP: If she also has him in her contacts, she could also be sending him sensitive contacts.

Perhaps the SP has set her My Card to her SP persona.
If she calls a friend or family member... could also be an issue...

the setting can be disabled via : SETTINGS / Messages / Share Name and Photo --> DISABLE IT or make sure its set to Always Ask and accept that a future glitch may bypass that setting. I would disable.

Yet another reason why I prefer to use a burner phone.

 

[michaelduni]

Thanks for the headsup. It seems tech companies are always changing settings to weaken privacy, though I personally think Apple has a better track record than Google or Meta. Here is a bit more detail on how this feature works and the protections built in by Apple:

Is iPhone AirDrop Feature 'NameDrop' Dangerous, as Facebook Posts Claim?

Here's the lowdown about the Facebook warnings regarding NameDrop, an iPhone feature that debuted with the September 2023 release of iOS 17.

www.snopes.com

 

[neverbored]

Thanks for the headsup. It seems tech companies are always changing settings to weaken privacy, though I personally think Apple has a better track record than Google or Meta. Here is a bit more detail on how this feature works and the protections built in by Apple:

Totally agree about the privacy issues. Seems like iphone has over 30+ settings that need to be disabled to prevent personal details from being tracked and that's just for regular use.
NameDrop is for when you want to share your contact with someone that doesn't have it in their phone (ie you meet someone new).

My OP was more concerning the use of their iphones for "illicit activities". In the case where people already have a contact record for eachother filed under a psudo. When you call a contact that's stored in your phone a sync seems to be requested during the call handshake between iphones. I noticed this when my friend's contact stored under his nickname had changed to his full name.

So if a SP has you stored in her iphone & has setup her MyCard poster set to automatic, as she calls you your phone will get the updated card (and vice versa). Which can also be annoying because the name you had for her is now somethig else. But unwanted info could also be leaked.

You can get a glimse of the setting here :

 

[Toto beefcake]

Totally agree about the privacy issues. Seems like iphone has over 30+ settings that need to be disabled to prevent personal details from being tracked and that's just for regular use.
NameDrop is for when you want to share your contact with someone that doesn't have it in their phone (ie you meet someone new).

My OP was more concerning the use of their iphones for "illicit activities". In the case where people already have a contact record for eachother filed under a psudo. When you call a contact that's stored in your phone a sync seems to be requested during the call handshake between iphones. I noticed this when my friend's contact stored under his nickname had changed to his full name.

So if a SP has you stored in her iphone & has setup her MyCard poster set to automatic, as she calls you your phone will get the updated card (and vice versa). Which can also be annoying because the name you had for her is now somethig else. But unwanted info could also be leaked.

You can get a glimse of the setting here :

Well u see how they are trying to gear everyone to digital Id digital
Currency. Only a matter of time

 

[antoine.bible]

Never use your personal number... Of course not your work phone, that's obvious... Always use an app

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

Never use your personal number... Of course not your work phone, that's obvious... Always use an app

Even most indies will ignore you if using an app.

 

[Obvio-0bvio]

Thank you for sharing this important information regarding the 'My Card' feature on iPhones. It is crucial for iPhone users who store contacts in their devices to consider disabling this feature, especially if they use their iPhones for personal or client-related hobbies.

The upgraded feature of automatically pushing updated details to contacts can indeed pose privacy concerns, as shown in the example of John and the SP. In such cases, personal information can be synced without one's explicit consent, which might result in unintended sharing of sensitive contacts.

To disable this feature, users can navigate to SETTINGS / Messages / Share Name and Photo, then either disable it altogether or choose the 'Always Ask' option, keeping in mind that a future glitch may bypass this setting. Considering these possibilities, disabling the feature entirely seems to be a prudent choice.

Thank you once again for sharing this important insight with fellow iPhone users on the forum.

 

[Rebaynia]

Lets just hope android doesn't think it a good idea too. And follow suit.

 

[talkinghead]

Even most indies will ignore you if using an app.

I'm clueless about all this. Are we talking about apps like Hushed? These are out of bounds for hobbying? I thought they used real numbers and were indistinguishable from regular phone service....

 

[Lexus3]

Never use your personal number... Of course not your work phone, that's obvious... Always use an app

What App do you recommend Antoine? Thanks

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

La façon d’éviter les partages accidentels est via « air drop »:

aller dans réglages =>général=>AirDrop=>désactiver rapprochement des appareils

 

[LookAlike]

La mise à jour de mon iphone a été faite dernièrement et j’ai maintenant IOS 17.1.1. Dans mes réglages —>messages —>Partage nom et photo c’est indiqué : non. Est-ce que ma confidentialité est protégée?

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

La mise à jour de mon iphone a été faite dernièrement et j’ai maintenant IOS 17.1.1. Dans mes réglages —>messages —>Partage nom et photo c’est indiqué : non. Est-ce que ma confidentialité est protégée?

Pas complètement, tu dois surtout désactiver la fonction « rapprochement des appareils » dans AirDrop. Il y a un risque important de partager tes contacts, photos et autres avec AirDrop, suis la procédure de mon post.

 

[LookAlike]

Pas complètement, tu dois surtout désactiver la fonction « rapprochement des appareils » dans AirDrop. Il y a un risque important de partager tes contacts, photos et autres avec AirDrop, suis la procédure de mon post.

OK c’est fait. Merci pour la précision.

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

Une autre mise à jour est sorti cette semaine pour corriger certaines failles, 17.1.2