Apple's AirTags were billed as a cheap and easy way to track everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack, but in recent months, there have been a number of reports of the small button-sized device being used by stalkers and thieves to track people.
Last December, Canadian law enforcement announced that AirTags were being found in luxury vehicles to later be stolen. Over recent months, numerous stories have surfaced on social media of people finding AirTags hidden in their belongings.
In response, Apple issued a statement last week saying it was working with law enforcement on all requests and is planning to roll out additional software updates to help iPhone users become more aware of and locate unknown AirTags that were following them.
"Based on our knowledge and on discussions with law enforcement, incidents of AirTag misuse are rare; however, each instance is one too many," it said.
The idea behind AirTags is not revolutionary, but there are some notable differences in the technology from older tracking devices.
AirTags do not have a built-in GPS system and instead piggyback off the location data of nearby Apple devices by emitting a continuous Bluetooth signal, which is then viewable by the tag's owner.
Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said she was alarmed even before the product's launch last spring.
"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 told NPR.
For Apple iPhone users, there are some safeguards in place, but for others, the options are more limited.
IPhone users will receive a notification if an AirTag is separated from its owner and is moving with them over time — if they have an iPhone 11 or later running on iOS 14.5 or later, and they have the correct settings on.
Apple
Currently, iPhone users will receive a notification if an AirTag is separated from its owner and is moving with them over time — if they have an iPhone 11 or later running on iOS 14.5 or later, and they have the correct settings on.
Android users cannot receive these notifications automatically, but Apple has released an application called Tracker Detect that will allow them to scan for an unknown AirTag nearby. However, Tracker Detect currently only operates when the app is open.
Anyone who is alerted to the presence of an unknown AirTag, either through Apple's notification system or by using Tracker Detect, can trigger an audible chime to help them locate the device.
(NPR)
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