California AirTag Lawsuit Widened to Include Dozens More Stalking Cases

[MauiPa]

if the technology was good enough it would mitigate this issue by design

maybe you could illuminate us all to your brilliance. As far as I can tell, about all that can be done has been done, but maybe I am not as smart as other folks. Maybe you are saying that any AirTags not registered to you don't get to ping the network - oh wait, how would that work, if you lost something then it couldn't be found. hmmm. Seriously, I would love to hear your thoughts to support your comment. Maybe it could be legislated and all companies with trackers have to comply.

The concept of a tracker is inherently subject to this. But even cell phones can be tracked, so is it the tracker, or the criminal?

 

[MauiPa]

In other news Zwilling (they make Henkels knives) is going to be the subject of a class action lawsuit because of how many people have been stabbed by the knives they make.

Good point. And how about if I cut myself? I smell lawsuit.

 

[toobravetosave]

maybe you could illuminate us all to your brilliance. As far as I can tell, about all that can be done has been done, but maybe I am not as smart as other folks. Maybe you are saying that any AirTags not registered to you don't get to ping the network - oh wait, how would that work, if you lost something then it couldn't be found. hmmm. Seriously, I would love to hear your thoughts to support your comment. Maybe it could be legislated and all companies with trackers have to comply.

The concept of a tracker is inherently subject to this. But even cell phones can be tracked, so is it the tracker, or the criminal?

Ill make it very simple it is both the tracker and the criminal, hope that helps.

 

[jarman92]

As a European from a country that doesn't readily allow citizens to own (or carry) firearms willy-nilly, I really wonder how this can even be a thing in the US.
Producing and selling weapons (that are used for tens of thousands of homocides every year) is ok. But producing and Producing and selling a luggage tracker that's been used by a couple of stalkers: COMPLICIT TO MURDER!

It’s worse than you think—firearms manufacturers are largely immune from liability for their products under federal law.

 

[toobravetosave]

In other news Zwilling (they make Henkels knives) is going to be the subject of a class action lawsuit because of how many people have been stabbed by the knives they make.

i doubt you would be so cavalier if the subject matter were, say, a gun manufacturer’s liability after a mass shooting? But yeah a nearly imperceptible tracking device is beyond scrutiny sure 👌

 

[erikkfi]

law enforcement can request identifying information about the owner of the AirTag, which Apple will readily provide.

Interesting how Apple is so resistant to aiding law enforcement, except when the viability of an entire product is on the line.

 

[toobravetosave]

Interesting how Apple is so resistant to aiding law enforcement, except when the viability of an entire product is on the line.

Because they know they created a dangerous situation and are not trying to be dragged into court after some high profile murder involving air tag tracking

 

[CapitalIdea]

Just to give you a different perspective - I am profoundly deaf and have bilateral cochlear implants. When I lost my Airtag, I used it to rely on the sound but it is very, very difficult to pinpoint the location. I had to ask someone for help to locate it.

That is a fringe scenario, and I look forward to seeing how many of the plaintiffs have the same implants.

 

[StuBeck]

it looks like tile have something similar

Gotcha, the difference is largely that network is much smaller, but this lawsuit does seem a few years too late.

 

[CapitalIdea]

Interesting how Apple is so resistant to aiding law enforcement, except when the viability of an entire product is on the line.

Nice lie there. If law enforcement wants something they can get a warrant like they are supposed to, and they get what they need that is technically feasible without breaking encryption for everybody and everything.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Interesting how Apple is so resistant to aiding law enforcement, except when the viability of an entire product is on the line.

Seems kinda of pointless when a stalker could use a burner phone and make a new iCloud account with someone else's info.

 

[SpotOnT]

Stalkers are so dumb. They should be using Tiles - since apparently no one checks for those.

Ok, in all seriousness, so 150 police reports…and how many AirTags are in use? Lets take things in perspective here.

 

[GeoStructural]

I mean… trackers have been around for a very long time. There are many that use GPS and have no protections at all. This is only happening because it’s an Apple product.

Exactly, the potential for a tracker to be used to stalk someone or with other unsavory intention is there and is a weakness of the industry/product as a whole, not Apple’s fault.

 

[MauiPa]

Ill make it very simple it is both the tracker and the criminal, hope that helps.

Nope, not at all. Kind of an over simplification that borders on meaningless. The point you need to address is what more than is already being done do you propose is done, and is that then required of all trackers? Keep in mind, apple already does more than almost all tracker manufacturers. Maybe ban all trackers?

 

[frenchcamp49er]

So some lawyers looking to fill their pockets got a few suckers to file a lawsuit. I hope they lose. Another frivolous lawsuit.

 

[sw1tcher]

I mean… trackers have been around for a very long time. There are many that use GPS and have no protections at all. This is only happening because it’s an Apple product.

Yup. I don’t see Tile or any of these other ones taking heat.

It's no different than how life saving devices have been around for a very long time too, yet Apple gets a lot more media attention when something like Emergency SOS via satellite or an Apple Watch health feature is credited with saving someones life.

Apple has to deal with the bad (AirTag tracking and stalking) and the good.

 

[icanhazmac]

gun manufacturer’s liability after a mass shooting?

Tired old trope, but I'll play. Gun manufacturers should bear some liability... the second a gun moves on its own, loads on its own, targets on its own and fires on its own. Exactly how many, consumer available guns, can move, load, target and fire by themselves? I'll wait, forgive me if I don't hold my breath.

Guns don't kill people... people kill people, sometimes with guns, sometimes with makeshift bombs, sometimes with knives, sometimes with baseball bats, sometimes with rope, sometimes with cars, sometimes with chemicals, sometimes with their bare hands, sometimes with a hammer, sometimes with fire, sometimes with water, sometimes by paying other people to do it.

Need I go on?

Yup, people can do stupid things with an AirTag, not because of Apple or the AirTag itself, but because people are stupid. I feel for any victim but at the end of the day no one is responsible for what happened to them besides the perpetrator. Believing otherwise has opened the flood gates of frivolous lawsuits we enjoy today.

Shall we sue the Earth because a perp used a rock to break a window before murdering someone in their home?

 

[gugy]

I know bad people will always find a way to use tech for crimes but in the other hand can backfires on them sometimes. My son had his e-bike stolen and because of AirTags, we were able to locate and retrieve it. Called the COPS but because the bike was parked outside in an apartment complex, we could not get the bastard.

 

[MuppetGate]

Because you can't win any money from a broke ass company. lol.

Unfortunately, I think there’s a lot of truth in this.

 

[Banglazed]

I know bad people will always find a way to use tech for crimes but in the other hand can backfires on them sometimes. My son had his e-bike stolen and because of AirTags, we were able to locate and retrieve it. Called the COPS but because the bike was parked outside in an apartment complex, we could not get the bastard.

Then people in the area will receive the AirTag alert that they are being tracked but actually someone stole/found a tracked item.

It would be great if the users who received the alert to let them know the AirTag is in lost mode which they may have some idea that someone lost something nearby and maybe they could search and possibly return the item.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Explain to me how Apple is liable for this, but car makers are not liable for making a giant death machine when someone gets run over?

 

[Born Again]

I mean… trackers have been around for a very long time. There are many that use GPS and have no protections at all. This is only happening because it’s an Apple product.

That’s because it works so well thanks to the large network of Apple phones and the low cost to purchase.

Let’s not kid ourselves this is an Apple problem.

Maybe you don’t care for the victims but I do.

 

[lkrupp]

So where are the class actions against Tile, Garmin, and all the other ‘tracker’ manufacturers? Is this proof that AirTags are vastly superior to any competition

 

[lkrupp]

Explain to me how Apple is liable for this, but car makers are not liable for making a giant death machine when someone gets run over?

It's the business model of ambulance chasers. Go for the big pockets.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Didn't they already try blaming gun manufacturers for people's deaths? How is this any different?