AirTag Anti-Stalking Measures 'Just Aren't Sufficient' Says Washington Post Report

[KaliYoni]

Most people in an abusive relationship live with the abuser. The concern isn't about the tiny number of celebrity stalkers who might plant a Tag on an actress somehow. It's about controlling husbands (or wives, fine) planting one on their spouse to secretly monitor their activities and potentially follow them around. Imagine that said spouse has been visiting a counselor or divorce lawyer or the police, and the abuser can now monitor that on a daily basis? That's a problem, whether its made by Apple or Samsung or Tile.

I recommend this book to anybody who is interested in seeing what it is like to be in an abusive relationship and, by extension, how AirTags, Tile trackers, and similar devices have a dark side that hasn't been addressed effectively by device makers. One significant takeaway is that "just stop using the device" is almost never an option for people who are dominated by their spouses.

No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us

No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us

www.amazon.com

 

[adampk17]

It is not an anti-thief device... If you need an anti-theft device buy an anti-theft device ...

Correct. Airtags are not meant to be for every use people can think of. Apple clearly lays out what they are designed for.

 

[bobtem]

”pretend stalked...”

That sounds like a term a 9th grader would use, in conversation. Not on a news site that should have professional level reporting and writing. I literally, like, totally can’t believe how much pretend write I see on MR.

 

[Rigby]

It’s easy to muffle while pressing the top! (Um, who is pressing the top to muffle the sound while this attempted stalking is happening. I am very confused)

Buy a case like this one, place a little tape or something on the inside where the speaker side of the Airtags is, close tight. Over time, stalkers and other creeps will probably also figure out how easy it is to disable the sound (e.g. by removing the magnet that makes the cover vibrate).

It's really naive to assume this thing won't be abused. Due to the scale of the "Find My network" and the low price, it's an ideal surveillance tracker.

 

[sirozha]

So are you saying you can't find things that have a Tile on them? Isn't that what Tile is for?

Tile is mostly for finding things in the Bluetooth range of your phone. Like the misplaced keys or wallet. You can't imagine how many times Tile has saved my bacon by letting me quickly locate my keys when I needed to leave in a hurry but couldn't locate my keys without pinging the Tile tag attached to them. The Tile app also has a proximity indicator that helps you figure out if you are moving closer to the Tile tag or father away from it, which is helpful if it's somewhere in the closet in your pants pocket and you can't hear its chirp until you move much closer to it. The combination of the proximity indicator in the Tile app and the audible chirp sounded by the Tile tag help you quickly locate the item in the Bluetooth range of the phone.

Apple is using a similar concept (I hope) with the AriTag when the iPhone it's paired with doesn't have a U1 chip.

 

[cmaier]

Buy a case like this one, place a little tape or something on the inside where the speaker side of the Airtags is, close tight. Over time, stalkers and other creeps will probably also figure out how easy it is to disable the sound (e.g. by removing the magnet that makes the cover vibrate).

It's really naive to assume this thing won't be abused. Due to the scale of the "Find My network" and the low price, it's an ideal surveillance tracker.

You are sort of missing the point of my response, and the thing I was responding to.

 

[827538]

Who is still listening to this trash after they called the leader of ISIS an 'austere religious scholar'. They have no credibility. How many times have they been caught making stuff up now?

 

[Rigby]

You are sort of missing the point of my response, and the thing I was responding to.

Just trying to clear up the confusion you expressed.

 

[Kilibee]

It's really naive to assume this thing won't be abused. Due to the scale of the "Find My network" and the low price, it's an ideal surveillance tracker.

Well, it will be abused, and used in other ways that Apple has not indended.

However, I wouldn't hardly call it an ideal surveillance tracker:

• The serial number of an AirTag can be read by NFC
• Each serial number is linked to an AppleID

As soon as your „ideal surveillance tracker“ is found and law enforcement becomes involved, it will point back to you.

 

[Shreducator]

A product that can only be used in the event of losing something gets this much attention. Seriously when was the last time anyone last anything?

 

[jlc1978]

I’m no expert, but in my 20 seconds of Googling, I found a tracker that boasts worldwide coverage (small monthly fee required) and has a 5 star rating on Amazon

t probably uses cellular and thus can send info but does not connect to nearby devices to allow tracking like airtags

 

[cmaier]

Just trying to clear up the confusion you expressed.

The confusion i expressed was related to what the article stated. The article did not say “somebody could figure out how to disable the speaker.” If the author wanted to make that point, the English language is replete with verbiage and diction to enable such a point to be made. And the author expressed dismay at the potential for someone, a theoretical stalker, to ”muffle” the speaker by pressing down on its top.

Stop trying to defend this piece of garbage masquerading as “news.”

 

[Rigby]

The confusion i expressed was related to what the article stated. The article did not say “somebody could figure out how to disable the speaker.” If the author wanted to make that point, the English language is replete with verbiage and diction to enable such a point to be made. And the author expressed dismay at the potential for someone, a theoretical stalker, to ”muffle” the speaker by pressing down on its top.

And I explained to you how you can use a case to press down on its top. You're welcome.

Stop trying to defend this piece of garbage masquerading as “news.”

I think the author makes some very good points.

 

[cmaier]

Well, it will be abused, and used in other ways that Apple has not indended.

However, I wouldn't hardly call it an ideal surveillance tracker:

• The serial number of an AirTag can be read by NFC
• Each serial number is linked to an AppleID

As soon as your „ideal surveillance tracker“ is found and law enforcement becomes involved, it will point back to you.

“The serial number could be filed off the NFC chip!” Don’t bother trying to interject facts here. Apple has made a device where they *intentionally* degraded its ability to be used to track *stolen* goods, all in an effort to try and prevent stalking. This is a decision no other maker of trackers has made. It is a decision that will likely lead to reduced sales, as anyone who is worried about *losing* something is also probably worried about it being *stolen.*. Apple did not have to make such a choice - none of its competitors has done so. And in making the choice apple has left money on the table.

But idiot reporter (and half the posters here): “it is not *perfect* in avoiding stalking, so therefore BAD APPLE!”

 

[brendu]

Everyones first mistake was reading something from the propaganda outlet known as the Washington Post. Save yourself the time and just put the device down and go enjoy the world without some faux-journalist telling you what to think or do.

 

[cmaier]

And I explained to you how you can use a case to press on its top. You're welcome.

I think the author makes some very good points.

The author said nothing about using a case, so you are again avoiding the point that it is a horribly written article. My sixth grader could do better.

 

[jazz1]

Tile is mostly for finding things in the Bluetooth range of your phone. Like the misplaced keys or wallet. You can't imagine how many times Tile has saved my bacon by letting me quickly locate my keys when I needed to leave in a hurry but couldn't locate my keys without pinging the Tile tag attached to them. The Tile app also has a proximity indicator that helps you figure out if you are moving closer to the Tile tag or father away from it, which is helpful if it's somewhere in the closet in your pants pocket and you can't hear its chirp until you move much closer to it. The combination of the proximity indicator in the Tile app and the audible chirp sounded by the Tile tag help you quickly locate the item in the Bluetooth range of the phone.

Apple is using a similar concept (I hope) with the AriTag when the iPhone it's paired with doesn't have a U1 chip.

Find My, on my cellular equipped 2018 iPad, let me find my canvas case, holding the iPad, in a very large grocery store. I'm embarrassed to say I had left it behind in the Men's room

I had gone out to the parking lot, and off-loaded my groceries, when I realized what I had done. Once back inside the store, I could see that the iPad was still on the premises. A helpful employee located my canvas case at Customer Service. Some kind soul had found it and turned it in!!!

I don't know if it was the cellular connection that let me geo-locate the iPad half-way across the store. It at least showed it was still somewhere in the store.

My real point is that I'd like Apple to get FindMy to develop even better, specific location, tracking for iOS iPads/Phones. Sort of like that "compass" pointing thing.

Yes, I know the world is full of dangerous people. I worked in Community Corrections for a number of years, and met all kinds of people. But, for me I'm more likely to simply lose my stuff, than be stalked. Of course everyone can make their own choice on the matter.

 

[Rigby]

Well, it will be abused, and used in other ways that Apple has not indended.

However, I wouldn't hardly call it an ideal surveillance tracker:

• The serial number of an AirTag can be read by NFC
• Each serial number is linked to an AppleID

As soon as your „ideal surveillance tracker“ is found and law enforcement becomes involved, it will point back to you.

This is very easy to avoid by creating an Apple ID under a fake name.

 

[cmaier]

This is very easy to avoid by creating an Apple ID under a fake name.

And a fake IP address, and a VPN that isn’t subject to subpoena power, and you paid cash for the phone and the airtag, and you don’t use the Apple ID for any other purpose that touches any third party’s servers.

Very easy.

 

[usagora]

Question: Do the alert notifications on the person's iPhone (the person being stalked) take 3 days to appear, or just the audible alarm? If the alerts take that long, that's not good.

Seems like Apple could have just designed these to turn themselves off after they detect they're being moved for a significant period of time without being near the owner's iPhone. If you were doing something nefarious with the AirTag, then--too bad so sad--you can't locate your AirTag now unless you get it back from the person you were stalking. If it were an accident, such as a friend borrowing your car with your AirTag'ed key ring, then obviously you can easily get it back from your friend (unless they steal your car and skip town, lol!). The downside would be if you lost an item with an AirTag on a vehicle that is being driven by someone else, then you'd be out of luck once the AirTag turned off.

I don't think there's ever going to be a perfect solution.

 

[ajaan]

The speaker can also be taken out the AirTag such that it *thinks* a sound is being played, but it's not.

We've already taken it out.

Our motivation for doing this is that we've hidden an AirTag in our car (and eventually bike), such that if it gets stolen, it won't alert the thief by sound, and we can track them down. I guess it would work for stalkers too.

Just remove the part on the attached image, and there's no sound.

 

[Rigby]

The author said nothing about using a case, so you are again avoiding the point that it is a horribly written article. My sixth grader could do better.

He said nothing about not using a case (or something else) to "apply pressure". Back to school with you.

 

[Marco0107]

Sarcasm alert: I bought a Samsung Galaxy, put it on silent, and secretly slid it in the glove box of a person I am stalking. Samsung better provide a solution so the person I am stalking knows this is happening! 🤦‍♂️

 

[michael31986]

The speaker can also be taken out the AirTag such that it *thinks* a sound is being played, but it's not.

We've already taken it out.

Our motivation for doing this is that we've hidden an AirTag in our car (and eventually bike), such that if it gets stolen, it won't alert the thief by sound, and we can track them down. I guess it would work for stalkers too.

Just remove the part on the attached image, and there's no sound.

View attachment 1770733

How do you remove that?

 

[patrick0brien]

Right because that seems the popular thing these days. Hey you! Go write a story and make sure you bash Apple.

"these days"? This is been standard operation procedure for the press since the Apple II. Apple rolls something out -> press pisses on it -> other companies copy Apple's implementation -> press pisses on Apple -> Rinse, Lather, Repeat.

PS> I'm sorry I have to say this, but please note the working above "other companies copy Apple's implementation". This is not to say that Apple _invents_ everything, it's to show that even since the beginning, Apple has had the habit of making a thing so much better, it becomes a "Thing"