Apple Explains How to Stay Safe With AirTag and More in Personal Safety Guide

[MacRumors]

Apple today shared an updated Personal Safety User Guide that serves as a resource for anyone who is concerned about or experiencing technology-enabled abuse, stalking, or harassment, the company said. The new guide is available on Apple's website, complete with a table of contents and a search tool, and as a downloadable PDF.

The guide outlines the personal safety features that are built into Apple devices, with a new section added for the AirTag following recent news stories about Apple's small item tracking accessory being used to track people without their permission.

While much of the information in the guide may be common knowledge to experienced Apple users, it is still a worthwhile read, with helpful tips for controlling who can access your location, blocking unknown sign-in attempts, avoiding fraudulent requests to share info, setting up two-factor authentication, managing privacy settings, and more.

Offering quick checklists and in-depth feature tasks, this resource is designed to help customers experiencing technology-enabled abuse, stalking, or harassment understand the options available across the Apple ecosystem that can help you protect your personal safety. It includes step-by-step instructions on how to remove someone's access to information you previously granted—like location data in the Find My app, meetings you've shared in Calendar, and more. It also highlights features You can use to enhance your personal safety—like how to automatically let a friend know when you've arrived home safely and how to quickly engage Emergency SOS.

Apple said the guide will continue to be updated on a regular basis, so it may be worth bookmarking to stay up to date with the latest personal safety tips.

Article Link: Apple Explains How to Stay Safe With AirTag and More in Personal Safety Guide

 

[Maclver]

Just clicked through..... Who in the world needs 4TB of iCloud storage?!

 

[abbstrack]

Geez this is bad. We made a stalking tool, so now here are all the ways you can undo the harm we've created.

How about making any found airtags trackable back to the point of purchase and/or owner as an easier fix?

 

[Dwalls90]

Geez this is bad. We made a stalking tool, so now here are all the ways you can undo the harm we've created.

How about making any found airtags trackable back to the point of purchase and/or owner as an easier fix?

I'm not sure that being able to lookup someone's information based on possessing an airtag alone is the best solution to a concern regarding privacy?

 

[Aston441]

I got one for my dog. Surprised it still works after 8 months, even in the water. Just had to replace the battery.

Thankfully my dog stays close so I’ve never had to try it out.

I have zero use case beyond dog tracking.

 

[alexandr]

Just clicked through..... Who in the world needs 4TB of iCloud storage?! View attachment 1949300

here's a question: how in the world does one get 4tb?!

 

[alexandr]

I have one in my car and it gives that annoying chime every other day or so, wtf is up with that?!

 

[Dwalls90]

I'm kind of curious how other companies that have had devices like this on the market for a while now deal with this publicity issue. What solutions are they providing for their products?

If this is a serious concern, then it makes you if wonder there should be safety or security checks that are agnostic of operating system or platform. For example, your phone can identify that you're not at home (or another location that you frequent), and that a device that you didn't pair with the device has been in close proximity.

 

[jicon]

I got one for my dog. Surprised it still works after 8 months, even in the water. Just had to replace the battery.

Thankfully my dog stays close so I’ve never had to try it out.

I have zero use case beyond dog tracking.

Got one for my dog too.. Except, only my wife can track where he is, because the airtag is tied to her iPhone only.
Why on earth can't an airtag be designated to be able to be tracked by more than one person in Find My?

 

[Hajj.david]

One of the few apple products that seemed so promising but ultimately went straight to the trash by apples own nerfing.

 

[dwaite]

Geez this is bad. We made a stalking tool, so now here are all the ways you can undo the harm we've created.

How about making any found airtags trackable back to the point of purchase and/or owner as an easier fix?

I believe they are with a court order. From Apple's Law Enforcement Guidelines document.

With a serial number, Apple may be able to provide the paired account details in response to a subpoena or greater legal process. AirTag pairing history is available for a period up to 25 days. The following support link provides information on finding an AirTag serial number: https:// support.apple.com/en-us/HT211658.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Just clicked through..... Who in the world needs 4TB of iCloud storage?! View attachment 1949300

I wouldn't mind. With the amount of data I carry I'm sure it will easily exceed 4TB. 🤔

This is just on my primary iPhone.

 

[dwaite]

Why on earth can't an airtag be designated to be able to be tracked by more than one person in Find My?

Likely because the risk vs reward of such a feature pushed it out of 1.0.

It is certainly possible the year-plus delay in between AirTag being rumored and showing up in software builds and getting shipped was partially so they really could think about and design for privacy and abuse ramifications.

 

[nicolas17]

How about making any found airtags trackable back to the point of purchase and/or owner as an easier fix?

They are, by law enforcement. If you're being stalked via an AirTag, when you report it to the police, give them the serial number, and they can get more info from Apple.

 

[nicolas17]

Got one for my dog too.. Except, only my wife can track where he is, because the airtag is tied to her iPhone only.
Why on earth can't an airtag be designated to be able to be tracked by more than one person in Find My?

I thought about this, and with the way the cryptography works it could be tricky to revoke access later. Perhaps it would need your wife's phone to do the tracking and then relay the location to you...

 

[Menel]

I thought about this, and with the way the cryptography works it could be tricky to revoke access later. Perhaps it would need your wife's phone to do the tracking and then relay the location to you...

Works fine with phones and tablets, can see family phones and tablets...

 

[nicolas17]

Works fine with phones and tablets, can see family phones and tablets...

Those are not end-to-end-encrypted like AirTag offline finding. Apple knows their location.

If you disconnect your phone from the Internet, I bet you can find it from your iPad (through the same crowdsourced system as AirTags) but your family can't.

 

[fernelius]

here's a question: how in the world does one get 4tb?!

I haven’t tried this, but I think others have shared that if you subscribe to AppleOne Premier (with 2TB), you can still subscribe to the iCloud 2TB plan giving you 4TB. A bit expensive, perhaps, if all you want is 4TB.

 

[KaliYoni]

Coming soon to the Apple Store: FaradayTowel, the best and thinnest towel ever for polishing your Apple gear and lining your tote bag, backpack, or car trunk to guard your privacy. Plus you can use it at the beach! Only $499, direct from Apple.

 

[alexandr]

I haven’t tried this, but I think others have shared that if you subscribe to AppleOne Premier (with 2TB), you can still subscribe to the iCloud 2TB plan giving you 4TB. A bit expensive, perhaps, if all you want is 4TB.

I see... yea, I don't really need it, but that's interesting to know! Tx!

 

[44267547]

They are, by law enforcement. If you're being stalked via an AirTag, when you report it to the police, give them the serial number, and they can get more info from Apple.

It’s not that easy . It’s not like Apple would voluntarily give anybody that information that claims to be L.E. They probably would need a signed warrant, and it’s a much more timely process than just obtaining a serial number and calling Apple. There’s legality here with consumer information. You’d be surprised how many agencies probably would not call Apple or even go that route, if they can backtrack using other methods.

 

[jaytv111]

here's a question: how in the world does one get 4tb?!

You can now get up to 4 TB of iCloud storage - 9to5Mac

With the current iCloud plans, the maximum tier is 2 TB. Although that’s a lot of storage, some iPhone users...

9to5mac.com

 

[abbstrack]

I'm not sure that being able to lookup someone's information based on possessing an airtag alone is the best solution to a concern regarding privacy?

that's why i said suggested two options, trackable back to point of purchase is the benefit of the doubt scenario. let apple reunite them with their original owner if they are lost.

some have said that law enforcement is able to track down owners by serial number and subpoena for more nefarious purposes. The challenge is i'm sure it's very easy to say it was lost vs. yes i was trying to stalk that person, vehicle, etc. Someone needs to be able to track if a single individual (or group of individuals) continues to 'lose' airtags in different places that are discovered in other people's purses, on their cars, etc.

Apple is pulling a bit of a 'y'all sort it out, here's some instructions' thing, when they are putting products into the world that are creating harm because of bad actors. They need to be willing to manage the fallout a bit more and be a participant in the solve vs. just the product maker and then disseminate pamphlets on how to protect yourself.

 

[BruiserB]

I have one in my car and it gives that annoying chime every other day or so, wtf is up with that?!

I have one that does the same thing. It's attached to my wallet that I usually leave in my car in underground parking. Many days I hear it chiming as I'm first driving to work in the morning. I got freaked out at first that maybe someone had replaced my AirTag with one that was registered to their phone and this was part of the warning notification, but the Tag still shows up in my FindMy app and I can still manually play sounds on it.

Are AirTags somehow programmed to make them call themselves out if they have been out of range of the owner's iPhone for some period of time? My keychain one never seems to do it, but it also is never out of range of my iPhone for an extended period of time.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I'm kind of curious how other companies that have had devices like this on the market for a while now deal with this publicity issue. What solutions are they providing for their products?

If this is a serious concern, then it makes you if wonder there should be safety or security checks that are agnostic of operating system or platform. For example, your phone can identify that you're not at home (or another location that you frequent), and that a device that you didn't pair with the device has been in close proximity.

They aren’t providing solutions and they aren’t being called out for it. Double standards.