Apple created AirTag as a solution to finding missing keys or other personal things. By eliminating the search for misplaced or lost items, the tracker frees up around 2.5 days a year to do anything other than rummage through drawers, coats, and bags, looking for stuff. However, people have found other ways to use it (or rather abuse it), employing it to track others.
This is exactly what happened to redditor diamondhandsfordays, who found an AirTag placed underneath his car by who he later discovered was his ex-father-in-law. Majorly freaked out, he sought advice online, where people recommended getting the police involved.
Scroll down to find the full story and a conversation with Star Kashman, legal scholar and founding partner of Cyber Law Firm, and information security professional James Nagle, who kindly agreed to give us a few tips on how to stay safe in this technological age.
AirTag is a great solution for misplacing personal items like keys, wallets, or backpacks
Image credits: Hansanaw / Reddit (not the actual photo)
However, in this case, it was used with malicious intent to stalk a person
Image credits: TheNimbusTwoThousand / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: diamondhandsfordays
AirTag became a tool for people with malicious intentions to track others
At first, the introduction of the AirTag by Apple piqued people’s interest as a relatively cheap way to keep track of their personal items. However, this also became a tool for people with malicious intentions to track others.
Such an issue isn’t new, but the technology has a few differences from standard tracking devices. It uses location data instead of having a built-in GPS system and emits a continuous Bluetooth signal, which can be viewed by its owner.
Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, tells NPR that she was suspicious of it before it launched in the spring of 2021. “I was concerned ahead of their release as soon as I figured out how they worked. I was concerned very shortly after they were released when I started seeing reports of stalking and being contacted by people who were being stalked using these devices,” she said.
Due to unwanted tracking, Apple released a statement in 2022 informing customers that they started closely working with law enforcement to ensure that misuse of their products is dealt with. They explained that every AirTag has a unique serial number, which is linked to a person’s Apple ID account. When law enforcement requests it, Apple can provide them with this information, tracing it back to the perpetrator, who is then apprehended and charged.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that technology has been used with malicious intent, but still, Galperin believes that releasing such devices without policies to protect people ahead of time wasn’t right. “I think that Apple has been very careful and responsive after putting the product out and introducing new mitigations. But the fact that they chose to bring the product to market in the state that it was in [2021] is shameful.”
“If you have located the tracking device or have been notified that you’re being tracked, don’t go home!”
Due to many safety concerns, Apple put safeguards in place to prevent people from being followed or stalked. “People can now check if they may be tracked by AirTags and other tracking devices (such as AirPods) by checking for occasional alerts on their iPhones if the individual has an iPhone. You should, however, first make sure your tracking notifications are on so you can obtain these notifications and check Apple’s “Find My” app as well,” explains Star Kashman, legal scholar and founding partner of Cyber Law Firm.
“Occasionally, an AirTag will also begin a series of audible chirping noises to alert you of their presence. If you suspect that you are being tracked but haven’t been alerted by your smart device, physically check your person (clothes, shoes, etc.) as well as your vehicle for a tracking device. They can be sewn into clothes or taped under the wheels of your car rather inconspicuously,” says information security professional James Nagle.
If a person realizes they’re being tracked, the first thing Nagle recommends doing is resisting the urge to go home and instead remain where people can see them.
“If you feel that you are in danger, go to the police immediately or go directly to a very public place and call 911 if you are unable to get to an active police station reasonably quickly. If you have located the tracking device or have been notified that you’re being tracked, don’t go home! You don’t want the person tracking you to know any personal details about you, like where you live if you can help it,” he explains.
“Call someone you trust and remain on the phone with them while you wait for the authorities to arrive. Use video calling if possible, and make it visibly clear that you are in a video call. Be sure to let them know your exact location.”
In the meantime, it’s important to gather evidence, which includes preserving the device, as altering it can destroy the proof. “Take images and photos of it and where you found it. Then, report it to law enforcement or reach out to a technology lawyer for guidance on the next steps, such as identifying the individual behind the tracker and looking into whether the device was maybe lost or intentionally placed,” says Kashman.
To keep ourselves safe and prevent us from being tracked, it’s important to be aware of ourselves and our property, says Nagle. “If you’re out at a nightclub or bar, be extra vigilant and trust your instincts. If you feel that something is off about someone, that’s because it probably is. Don’t ever be afraid to ask a friend or the police for help if you feel unsafe. Remember, your personal safety is more important than anyone’s feelings you may hurt, so don’t feel compelled to be nice because you’re not sure.”
“Regularly check your personal items for unfamiliar devices and educate yourself on how to detect trackers using technology like Find My or other detection apps and devices,” recommends Kashman. She also warns us not to trust a technological device to ever be safe. “Apple’s notification system is a good start after needing to add additional measures, but there is much room for improvement across the industry to predict and prevent misuse of these technologies.”
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