Apple creates personal safety guide as AirTag concerns mount

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

The guide is a resource hub to help people figure out what their options are if they are concerned about technology-enabled abuse, stalking or harassment. At a time when more and more people are coming forward about being followed, it includes a page about Stay safe with AirTag and other Find My accessories.

9to5Mac pointed out that the hub is repackaging a data privacy guide that was first published a year ago. It's a good idea to create an easily accessible resource to help people keep their information safe or find out what to do in the event their safety is threatened. There is an introductory explainer, a section called review and take action, and a list of safety and privacy tools in the hub. AirTag safety is one of the issues addressed in the guide, as well as how to store data securely in iCloud, how to set up Touch and FaceID, and controlling how others might be able to see your location.

The timing is unsurprising, as the guide is helpful. Several outlets, including CNBC and The New York Times, have run stories in the past few weeks detailing multiple instances of users receiving alert they were tracked by an unknown AirTag. In early January, a Sports Illustrated model shared her own experience in her IG stories, and others have done the same.

Apple said the AirTags had anti-stalking measures built into them. If an AirTag was detected moving with them over time, they would receive notifications to their phones. The measures were criticized as being insufficient since it took three days for the AirTags to play a sound alert. After being separated from the owner of the phone, Apple changed that to a random period. The Tracker Detect app was released by Apple to help users find AirTags in their vicinity. Legislation has been proposed to prohibit AirTags from being used for anything other than finding lost items.

The AirTag safety article in the Personal Safety User Guide is fairly basic. It gives a rundown of how the Find My network is changed frequently, what anti-stalking measures are, what to do if you hear an AirTag alert or receive a notification, and how to check for Air tags. To identify whether the item was lost, play a sound to locate the AirTag, and notify local law enforcement in the event a user feels their safety is at risk is what the plan is. According to recent reports, police were unaware of how to help victims and that attempts to find AirTags weren't always successful.

If you don't have a compatible device running the correct software, you may not be able to receive these alerts at all. The device needs to be updated to at least iPad OS 14.5. Thankfully, this covers the majority of Apple devices currently supported, but not everyone keeps their firmware up to date. You can check here to see if your device is compatible. If you're running the latest version of the iPad OS, you can head to the General Software Update.