Proposed Ohio legislation would criminalize AirTag stalking

A group of bipartisan lawmakers in Ohio introduced a bill to criminalize AirTag stalking. If passed by the state legislature, it would be illegal for a person to install a tracking device on another person's property without their consent.

3News urged the government to take action against the growing problem of remote tracker stalking. The news station found a loophole in the law that allowed people with no prior record of stalking or domestic violence to track someone. According to an investigation by the outlet, fewer than two dozen states have enacted laws against electronic tracking, and Ohio is one of the groups that has not drafted specific legislation against the behavior.

AirTag stalking isn't an issue limited to a few high-profile incidents according to a recent report. The outlet got 150 reports after it requested records about AirTags from a dozen US police departments. There were 50 cases where women thought someone was using the device to track them.

In February, Apple said it would add safety features to prevent AirTag stalking. The company plans to add a feature later in the year that will allow those with the Apple devices to find their way to an unknown AirTag. The tool will show the direction and distance to an AirTag. Apple said it would update its unwanted tracking alert to warn people of stalkers earlier.

AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person's property, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products. We are committed to listening to feedback across Apple's hardware, software, and services teams.