AirTags are being used to track people and cars. Here's what is being done about it

Concerns have been raised over the misuse of Apple's AirTags.

Michael Levitt

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, but 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

In December of last year, Canadian law enforcement announced that AirTags were being found in luxury vehicles that were later to be stolen. There have been many stories on social media of people finding AirTags hidden in their belongings.

Hi friends. So something kinda terrifying happened to me last night—

someone attached an Apple AirTag to the underside of my front wheel well while I was inside a bar. (1/3)

— jeana jeana (@Sega__JEANAsis) December 18, 2021

In response, Apple issued a statement last week saying it was working with law enforcement on all requests and would be releasing additional software updates to help users locate unknown AirTags that were following them.

It said that incidents of AirTag misuse are rare, but each instance is too many.

Old problem, new tech

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, which is then viewable by the tag's owner.

Eva Galperin is the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and she was alarmed before the product was launched.

I was worried about their release as soon as I realized how they worked. She told NPR that she was concerned when she saw reports of people being contacted by people using these devices.

Renee Williams, the executive director of the National Center for Victims of Crime, said that this isn't the first time a new device has been used for malicious purposes.

She told NPR that as technology becomes more sophisticated and advanced, it becomes easier to misuse and abuse.

Williams said that rare was a technology company taking the issue seriously and moving to address it.

Apple is listening to the field and reaching out to do safety checks. That in and of itself might sound like a small step, but it is rare.

Galperin thinks that Apple should have done more to protect people.

At the time that the AirTag came out, Apple had in place enough mitigations.

I think that Apple has been very careful and responsive after putting the product out. The fact that they brought the product to market in the state that it was in last year is shameful.

How to know if an AirTag is following you

Some safeguards are in place for Apple iPhone users, but other options are more limited.

TheUnknown AirTag Detected alert is not the same as theUnknown accessory Detected alert. The later notification is most likely generated by another Apple accessory, such as the AirPods.

Apple

If an AirTag is separated from its owner and is moving with them over time, and they have the correct settings on, the notification will be sent to the users of the iPhone.

Apple has released an application that will allow users to detect AirTag nearby, but they cannot receive notifications automatically. When the app is open, Tracker Detect only works.

An audible chime can be triggered by anyone who is alert to the presence of an AirTag, either through Apple's notification system or by using Tracker Detect.

When separated from the original owner, AirTags will randomly play this chime.

Apple notes that receiving a notification of an unknown AirTag does not mean that you are being followed, as the device and the item it's attached to may genuinely be lost.

If you fear that you are being tracked, you can remove the battery. It stops it from updating its location, but also alert its owner. Some law enforcement agencies have pointed out that removing the AirTag's battery could taint it as evidence.

What you can do if you are being maliciously tracked

The director of the Stalking Prevention Awareness and Resource Center said there are no hard and fast rules on what to do if you suspect you are being tracked.

Apple and Landhuis both advise people to contact local law enforcement in the safest way possible.

She suggested that finding a public place where you can safely is more important than finding a police station.

Landhuis suggested that people document the incident by taking pictures and a log of notes. She said that the most important thing for someone to do was follow their instincts.

She said that the first thing to say to someone who thinks they are being followed is to trust their instincts.