Apple’s Sensitive Content Warning will combat cyberflashing

In addition to all the new product announcements from Apple’s WWDC, the company released the latest safety and security upgrades as well.

In terms of user safety, Apple announced updates to Communication Safety, a feature that detects nudity in images sent to or received from children in iMessage. Communication Safety will now cover video content in addition to photos, and expands to media sent and received in AirDrop, FaceTime video message, when using the Phone app to receive a Contact Poster, and the Photos picker.

Communications Safety warnings will be turned on for child accounts in their Family Sharing plan. Parents can disable them if they wish.

Apple’s Communication Safety message on an iPad.
Credit: Apple

Apple also announced Sensitive Content Warning, a feature to combat cyberflashing. Adults can avoid unwanted nude images and video when receiving them in Messages, AirDrop, FaceTime video message, and the Phone app when receiving a Contact Poster. This all uses the same technology at the core of Communication Safety, Apple noted in its press release.

Sensitive Content Warning will prevent users from seeing unwanted nude images.
Credit: Apple

Sensitive Content Warning is optional. Turn it on by going to Privacy & Security settings.

All photo and video processing for both Communication Safety and Sensitive Content Warning occurs on the device. Apple can’t see the media, and neither can any third party.