Chinese authorities claim to have found a solution to identify users of Apple’s AirDrop, an encrypted feature on Apple phones that allows anonymous content sharing with nearby devices of the same brand.
China closely monitors media and the internet, exercising control over any content that may portray state policies negatively or cause disruptions. To evade censorship, iPhones could exploit a loophole through the AirDrop function, which operates without the need for internet connection. This feature was notably used to broadcast slogans criticizing the ruling Communist Party on phones after a rare protest in Beijing in October 2022.
Apple, considering China a key market, took measures to restrict this feature. On Monday, judicial authorities in Beijing confirmed that a local institute successfully decrypted AirDrop.
This progress eliminates the ability to conceal user identities, allowing authorities to identify the transmitter’s device number, the phone number of its owner, and their email address, according to officials. AFP could not independently verify these claims.
The statement from authorities did not specify whether this technology has led to arrests or convictions due to the exchange of illegal content. Since 2022, all iPhones sold in China automatically deactivate the AirDrop option after 10 minutes. This significantly reduces the likelihood of receiving files unexpectedly from strangers, thus exchanging sensitive messages without scrutiny.
As a result, this restriction has been expanded to include Apple devices worldwide. Apple products, from iPhones to iPads, enjoy significant popularity in China, making it one of the key markets for the American company outside the United States.
Apple has consistently refrained from taking a stance on sensitive issues or causing annoyance to Chinese authorities. The company’s CEO has been received multiple times by top officials, including the head of state, without making statements on sensitive matters.
In 2019, Apple faced criticism in official media for allowing an app in Hong Kong that enabled the tracking of police officers on a map. This service drew scrutiny during massive pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.