Apple is facing a class action lawsuit filed by two women who say this Apple device left them vulnerable.
Technology has made our lives increasingly more convenient.
How many telephone numbers do you know off the top of your head?
Not many probably, because our phone technology has eliminated the need for us to keep track of all of those digits.
But progress comes with a cost, and for most modern technology the cost is either your privacy or security.
Enter Apple (AAPL) – Get Free Report.
Apple has undoubtedly been one of the biggest players in the transformation to the digital age. The iPhone revolutionized cell phones and the company has been a tastemaker for decades now.
But a device the company produces designed to allow its users to keep GPS pinpointed tracking of their items can also be used to stalk victims, according to a class action lawsuit that was filed this week.
Shutterstock
AirTag Stalkers
A woman from Texas and another from New York sought certification of a class action lawsuit in San Francisco Monday seeking unspecified damages from Apple for stalking incidents that they say were made possible through AirTags.
One woman said her ex-boyfriend placed the tiny tracking device into a wheel well of on her car in order to track her whereabouts.
The other plaintiff said her ex-husband placed an AirTag in her child’s backpack.
“Ms. Doe continues to fear for her safety—at minimum, her stalker has evidenced a commitment to continuing to use AirTags to track, harass, and threaten her, and continues to use AirTags to find Plaintiff’s location,” the lawsuit said, according to CNN.
“[She] seeks to bring this action anonymously due to the real risk that being identified would expose her to increased risk of harassment and/or physical harm.”
Apple did not immediately return a request for comment.
The device, which retails for about $30, is about the size of a quarter and is used to track everything from car keys to electronic devices and anything of value that could be misplaced.
The devices use Bluetooth connectivity to send their location to Apple devices through the ‘Find My’ app.
Can Apple Make AirTags Safer?
Earlier this year, Apple said that it was working with safety groups and law enforcement agencies to develop ideas to make its device safer for women and those at danger of being stalked.
But the “solution” the company came up with leaves a lot to be desired.
“In an upcoming software update, every user setting up their AirTag for the first time will see a message that clearly states that AirTag is meant to track their own belongings, that using AirTag to track people without consent is a crime in many regions around the world,” the company said.
It seems that someone willing to go to such lengths to surreptitiously track someone probably wouldn’t be dissuaded by a gentle reminder that their activity is illegal.
The company also said that the AirTag is designed to be detected by potential victims and that law enforcement can request identifying information from Apple about the owner of the AirTag.
