AirDrop airplane bomb prank lands teen in jail

[iMore.com]

A student has confessed to sending a bomb hoax to airplane passengers using the iPhone's AirDrop feature. Full story from the iMore Blog...

 

[Annie_M]

What an idiotic thing to do!!!

 

[Just_Me_D]

I don’t have any sympathy for the teen because he or she knows better and they have to learn that just because they’re not yet considered adults, the consequences for their actions can still be severe.

They tend to know nothing will happen to them so they keep pushing the envelope until something does happen to them.

 

[Annie_M]

I don’t have any sympathy for the teen because he or she knows better and they have to learn that just because they’re not yet considered adults, the consequences for their actions can still be severe.

They tend to know nothing will happen to them so they keep pushing the envelope until something does happen to them.

I hope there are severe consequences for the teen. He or She must learn a lesson from this... and hopefully, other teens will learn as well, as long as they are made aware of this incident and its ramifications.

 

[Lee_Bo]

But aren’t your phones supposed to be off while on a plane?

 

[Up_And_Away]

I hope there are severe consequences for the teen. He or She must learn a lesson from this... and hopefully, other teens will learn as well, as long as they are made aware of this incident and its ramifications.

I hate to be the bleeding heart but I did too many stupid impulsive things as a teen so maybe I have a distorted view. I’m not saying there should be no consequences but in my ‘wrong side of the tracks’ teen circle, legal consequences were not only a badge of “honor” but just hardened us.

Again just from my own experience, the book really didn’t need to be thrown at me so no key to be thrown away. Best thing that ever happened was being taken to see what my action may have caused. Another version of scared straight. It may seem inappropriately easy on me or in this instance this teen but taking that teen down to help people at a trauma center, let him see first hand what can be, that is a shock to the system yet a productive result for everyone (it really worked for me and I am thankful for the man who took his time to teach me that lesson).

On a side note, apologies for my political incorrectness , above I said “he”. My near entire experience (and granted it is still an assumption, not fact) tells me this was a teenage boy.

 

[Tartarus]

But aren’t your phones supposed to be off while on a plane?

No, only during take off and while landing. Otherwise it’s okay to use your phone, as long as you’ve enabled flight mode.
But since most people have Bluetooth ear- or headphones, Bluetooth is enabled anyway thus also enabling airdrop.
Since these kind of ‘pranks’ started to happen, Apple has implemented some safeguards, such as enabling airdrop for only ten minutes and so.

That’s why it makes it so hard to believe this news article is recent.

 

[Lee_Bo]

That’s why it makes it so hard to believe this news article is recent.

This!!!

Probably another slow news day for the Future “writers”.

 

[Annie_M]

I hate to be the bleeding heart but I did too many stupid impulsive things as a teen so maybe I have a distorted view. I’m not saying there should be no consequences but in my ‘wrong side of the tracks’ teen circle, legal consequences were not only a badge of “honor” but just hardened us.

Again just from my own experience, the book really didn’t need to be thrown at me so no key to be thrown away. Best thing that ever happened was being taken to see what my action may have caused. Another version of scared straight…

I don’t think you’re being politically correct, and furthermore you bring up a valid point. We’ve probably all done things at one time or another that in the hindsight that maturity brings, we regret but also recognize the value of lessons learned. Hopefully we were given guidance, and forgiveness, and the ability and knowledge to redeem ourselves.
@Tartarus makes an interesting point as well… perhaps the story isn’t a recent one.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I don’t think you’re being politically correct, and furthermore you bring up a valid point. We’ve probably all done things at one time or another that in the hindsight that maturity brings, we regret but also recognize the value of lessons learned. Hopefully we were given guidance, and forgiveness, and the ability and knowledge to redeem ourselves.
@Tartarus makes an interesting point as well… perhaps the story isn’t a recent one.

According to other reports, it happened last week.

 

[Annie_M]

There seems to be an amazing amount of unawareness in this world. By that I mean people still have no idea about the consequences of having their AirDrop settings turned on in public places!

 

[Mr.Willie]

No need to ruin the girls life over something done as a teen. A good public caning is in order.

 

[Ledsteplin]

There seems to be an amazing amount of unawareness in this world. By that I mean people still have no idea about the consequences of having their AirDrop settings turned on in public places!

I have no idea why so many have their Airdrop set to "Everyone for 10 minutes". Mine is set to "Contacts", and it stays that way. I've only used it a couple times.

 

[Just_Me_D]

I have no idea why so many have their Airdrop set to "Everyone for 10 minutes". Mine is set to "Contacts", and it stays that way. I've only used it a couple times.

I can’t understand why people think it’s funny to send scary messages via AirDrop to people on an airplane when the fear of falling from the sky is already present in the back of their mind.

 

[EdwinG]

I have no idea why so many have their Airdrop set to "Everyone for 10 minutes". Mine is set to "Contacts", and it stays that way. I've only used it a couple times.

I would suspect that they are using an outdated version of iOS/iPadOS, where Everyone was a non-timed option.

The “Everyone for 10 minutes” (should) reverts the setting after 10 minutes.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I would suspect that they are using an outdated version of iOS/iPadOS, where Everyone was a non-timed option.

The “Everyone for 10 minutes” (should) reverts the setting after 10 minutes.

Either way, why do people set it to Everyone, be it the new 10 minute version or not.

 

[tadpoles]

Either way, why do people set it to Everyone, be it the new 10 minute version or not.

Further, why would it have ever been the default setting? For ease-of-use? Seems unjustifiably insecure.

 

[EdwinG]

Further, why would it have ever been the default setting? For ease-of-use? Seems unjustifiably insecure.

I would say: we had faith in humanity. #Optimist

Half the Internet’s plumbing is built on trust of not abusing. I guess Apple’s approach to this might not have been different.

That’s assuming “Everyone” was a default setting at some point.

Either way, why do people set it to Everyone, be it the new 10 minute version or not.

The only reasonable explanation: convenience? Faster than adding a contact and you don’t have to reveal your phone number.

Beyond that, I do not know.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Further, why would it have ever been the default setting? For ease-of-use? Seems unjustifiably insecure.

I think Contacts Only is the default setting.