Are these okay to put in my kids backpacks? I don't really expect to monitor them 24/7, just to make sure they got to school and also when they leave the school (for example I see them on the bus ride home) so I know when to meet them at the bus stop.
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AirTags okay for elementary school kids?
- Thread starter Kendo
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They are going to make a chirping sound when they are moved and are not near your phone.
Other than that I suppose it is up to you if you want to put an airtag in their bag. Seems like a good idea if there are no complaints of distractions to the classroom.
Ah didn’t realize the chirping. Btw I am aware people use these for stalking, like if I wanted to stalk someone and throw it in someone’s car, I can simply wait a few hours or the next morning to see where they live.
My main concern is the real-time tracking. I don’t want to be fooled into thinking my kids are still at school when in reality they are waiting for me at the bus stop near our home. The chirping is a no-no, don’t want them making noises in the class.
My main concern is the real-time tracking. I don’t want to be fooled into thinking my kids are still at school when in reality they are waiting for me at the bus stop near our home. The chirping is a no-no, don’t want them making noises in the class.
The airtags do work pretty good for this due to the nature of how they work. When any other iphone is near by they will automatically connect and send an update with their status and location. Because of the pervasiveness of iPhones, this usually ends up covering that kind of use case pretty well as they update pretty frequently.
As far as stalking, yes, that was a concern especially at launch, but since then Apple has built in many features to alert an unsuspecting person that an airtag is traveling with them, and the chirping is one example.
Here is the official page with the other 'anti-stalking' features:
What to do if you get an alert that an AirTag, set of AirPods, Find My network accessory, or compatible Bluetooth location-tracking device is with you - Apple Support
AirTag lets you easily track things like your keys, wallet, purse, backpack, luggage, and more. Simply set it up with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and attach it to your item, and your AirTag shows up in the Items tab in the Find My app.
What you'd be doing is basically stalking your own kids. Not saying it's wrong (because if I had small kids, I'd probably want to do the same thing), but the mechanics are otherwise the same as putting it in an unsuspecting person's purse and following their location.
So at some point, the AirTag would start making the anti-stalking noise. It's not particularly loud, but in a classroom it might be noticeable.
The "official" solution for this is to put a cellular Apple Watch on your kid's wrist and set it up on your phone as a family-member watch for those who don't have their own iPhone. You'll be able to track their exact GPS location transmitted via cellular (or wifi if there's a wifi network the watch can use and knows). Obviously not the most cost-effective situation, but really the only one that can be done with Apple hardware that couldn't be used in a stalking situation.
If an Airtag isnt near the device it is paired to it will chime when the accelerometer is activated. This is clearly outlined in the Apple support pages previously linked in this thread.
Airtags are often used in luggage when flying. I believe they start to make a noise after around 8 hours minimum, so it should last a school day.
Apple states 'some amount of time'.
In my personal experience I've had it occur in less than 8 hours.
The chiming isnt very noticeable, so I dont think it is an issue for airport baggage handlers. That said it probably wouldnt be a big issue in a classroom if it stays on their backpack. It is not a continuous chime.
Unless the teachers’ phones decide the AirTag is following them (Since they’re likely to be where the kids are).
And repeatedly moving an AirTag no longer near its owner‘s phone will (eventually) cause it to beep, too.
Thanks for the input guys, OP here. After a few weeks of school starting (and seeing how the neighborhood is safe with lots of kids in our neighborhood taking the same bus), I've decided I don't need Airtags. The bus is really predictable and picks them up and drops them off at the same time every day.
If your child knows you’re doing it, is it still stalking?
Of course not. I said as much, and that I would do it too if my kids were that age (now, at age 23 and 25, I think they might object, lol). What I meant was that methodically it's no different than stalking someone with an AirTag. Which is why the system would eventually cause the thing to start beeping.
Slipped into a zipper pocket is all that's necessary. I have one in my messenger bag that I take to work every day.
I place one in my daughters school bag as she has started to walk home from school on her own. It's only a 5-10 min walk but its there just for extra reassurance over anything else. My daughter put it in her zipper pocket in her bag herself, so knows its there and is happy to ignore it.
Never noticed it making any sounds etc at all.
Never noticed it making any sounds etc at all.
If you are good with tools it is possible to disassemble the AirTag, remove the speaker, and put it back together. I’ve done it before and I’m no professional!
Consider a Family Plan Apple Watch. More expensive, for sure, but WAY more utility.
I thought all kids had iPhones. If the kids have iPhones, you don't need airtags because you can track the phone (if the kids share their location with you. If they don't have phones then you can buy a cheap used phone for about $100.
Airtags are a good solution to finding a lost backpack if that is a problem.
One thing about airbags is the tracking alarm. I was walking with someone the other day and she had an airtag inher backpack, just in case she misplaced it. I got a phone alert saysing an airtag I did not own was traveling with me. I assume this would happen a lot if yourkids had airtags in their backpacks, other kids they travel with (like on a bus) would get alerts on their phones.
The better way to track people who you know is by asking them to share their location on their phone.
Apple has implemented measures in the algorithm that they use to account for mass transit - so the only likelihood on a school bus would be if the driver was the only one with an iPhone.
I think the watch idea is the best (if you want to avoid the cost of a cellular plan) - especially if you have a metropolitan area wifi network - could avoid paying the fees for adding a cellular watch to your plan.
I think the best thing for these kinds of cases is to get a cheap Apple Watch with Cellular (second hand, etc) and use Family setup on it and give it to your kids.
Why not both? That way there's redundancy. Plus, an AirTag in the backpack will mean that the kid can find his backpack if he misplaces it (if he gets an iPhone or something).