Apple AirTags Termed Dangerous, Company to Face Legal Scrutiny Over Stalking and Theft Concerns

Highlights

• Apple’s AirTag, launched in 2021, faces class-action lawsuit involving 38 stalking victims.
• Initial litigant Lauren Hughes claims her ex used an AirTag to track her, hiding it in her car’s wheel.
• York Regional Police reported use of AirTags in orchestrating high-end car thefts in 2021.

Apple’s AirTag has been mired in some controversy or the other since its inception back in 2021.

Using UWB (ultra-wide band) technology the AirTags could be placed in luggage or anywhere else for that matter to give real-time location updates on Apple’s extensive Find My network.

Pretty soon people realised the company’s ingenious contraption could be used for a more nefarious purposes like tracking people and stalking their movements.

Random iPhone users started getting pop-ups of unknown AirTags in their vicinity.
Trust humanity to exploit any technological innovations for their own unlawful endeavours.

However, Apple immediately put a stop to that with an update to the Find My network, alerting users immediately if an AirTag, unbeknownst to them, is around.

Apple Sued Over AirTags Misuse

Even so, many users falling prey to stalking via AirTags have decided to take action against Apple.

This month, 38 individuals who allege they were tracked via AirTags have joined an existing class-action lawsuit against Apple.
The suit was initially filed in a California court last December.

The claim is that AirTags are “dangerous” and a useful tool for people who wish to stalk or follow a potential victim.

As per a Business Insider report, Lauren Hughes, a woman from Texas and one of the initial litigants, claims her former partner utilized an AirTag to monitor her movements.

He reportedly concealed the device in her car’s wheel, using it to pinpoint her whereabouts such as her current residence and the hotel where she was staying.

The $29 pricepoint for the device makes it easy for people with bad intentions to purchase them.

The AirTag’s tracking capabilities have also led to some heinous crimes like LaPrecia Sanders, whose son was mauled down and killed by his ex-girlfriend after she tracked him by planting an AirTag on him.

In 2021, York Regional Police reported that auto thieves were employing AirTags to orchestrate car heists.

The criminals were planting these tracking devices in luxury cars to monitor their positions and subsequently make off with them.

Apple is slated to submit a request for dismissal of the class-action lawsuit by October 27th.

On the same date, the tech giant is also expected to provide the court with a reply to the amended allegations brought forth by the plaintiff.

FAQs

Ques) What is the class-action lawsuit against Apple’s AirTag about?

The lawsuit involves 38 individuals who claim they were stalked using Apple’s AirTag technology.

Ques) How did criminals misuse AirTags?

Instances have been reported of AirTags being used for stalking and for planning car thefts by tracking high-end vehicles.

Ques) What was Apple’s response?

Apple updated its Find My network to alert users if an unknown AirTag is nearby, but they are also slated to respond to the lawsuit by October 27th.

Ques) What technology does AirTag use?

Apple’s AirTag uses UWB (ultra-wide band) technology to provide real-time location tracking.

Also Read: Stalkers can track you using Apple AirTags; here’s how to prevent yourself