Apple Faces Dozens of Lawsuits Over AirTag Stalking After Class Action Denied

[alexandr]

How so?! They could do it now all in software IF they were motivated. ie. Measure the load across the coil (to detect if it’s been removed), use the built in gyro to detect speaker vibration (if it’s been removed or not). Plus I’m sure there are other methods that cost NOTHING. Hopefully these lawsuits “motivate” Apple.

 is already doing more than its competitors in this matter, but that's beside the point for those who want to file lawsuits. As someone else pointed out, almost any device can be used maliciously — it shouldn't be the manufacturers responsibility, at least not to this extent.

 

[alexandr]

This is not a no-brainer. Its actually a bad idea.

People use air tags as trackers in case something gets stolen like a bike or car or luggage. Being able to disable the beep is preventing the thief from being alerted that they are being tracked.

Absolutely. Not hearing it makes it harder to find where it lives in my car. Especially given the time constraints. 🙂

 

[deevey]

Not really.  could do more. ie. Disable the AirTag if the speaker has been tampered with. Seems like no-brainer.

Face it criminals always stay ahead of the game, if they are disabling the speaker they can probably figure out how to solder a resistor in place to emulate one.

Or they'll just buy one of the many alternative find-my compatible tags which are much easier to hack.

 

[DogGone]

Were the people who did the stalking with AirTags get prosecuted? If yes then justice has been served. If no then it shows that justice has failed the victims

 

[ZipZilla]

This will not be lucrative for these people suing Apple. Apple are not the only company that make trackers. Phones can be tracked. Laptops can be tracked. This is like suing Find my iPhone or Find my Android, etc.

 

[jsavvy]

Hmm, following this logic, if a store sells a kitchen knife to someone and they use that kitchen knife to injure someone else, then that would make the kitchen knife seller liable? The same of course for guns, forks, slingshots, or better still, sellers of bottles (of anything) which could be used to hit someone on the head... Good luck on that!

Normally I’d agree with this kind of statement. I think the difference here is that Apple does more than sell the product. They provide the service (find my) that allows for continual tracking/stalking. If it were simply a product like a knife, gun, etc then Apple has no more responsibility. But since they do more, I’m interested in seeing how this plays out. I’m not aware of the law that is being broken.

 

[whitby]

I would guess that everything ever invented would be subject to this sort of dumb greedy litigation. I know I am repeating the feelings of a large number of posters to this thread, but this sort of litigation wastes resources, time and money. All that success in this type of litigation succeeds in achieving is us going back to living in caves and all invention stopping. I am sick and tired of people trying to steal money from those that actually try to improve our lives and just leaching money from society.

 

[jarman92]

I'll play devil's advocate here. What if the telescope maker created a wireless network using built in hardware in every telescope that links all telescope owners and allows them to be located on maps regardless of whether customers want to opt out or not? Seems harmless for fellow stargazers that want to socialize. But then some owners start stalking and burgling homes of others based on this data. They complain to the telescope company that they are not doing enough to secure the privacy of their customers and the company doesn't take any useful actions to help their customers even after thousands of crimes reported. What should the telescope maker do next?

The problem with this analogy is that Apple did take significant action to mitigate risk in response to reports.

 

[Tyler O'Bannon]

Sure the person, not the company that made the product. Do we sue the automaker every time there is a car accident?

 

[yabeweb]

Hmm, following this logic, if a store sells a kitchen knife to someone and they use that kitchen knife to injure someone else, then that would make the kitchen knife seller liable? The same of course for guns, forks, slingshots, or better still, sellers of bottles (of anything) which could be used to hit someone on the head... Good luck on that!

Well in a country where they sell knives with a warning that you can cut yourself....or at mcdonald where they warn you that hot coffee is....hot I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[drrich2]

or at mcdonald where they warn you that hot coffee is....hot I wouldn't be surprised.

I thought the same when I heard about that, but later got filled in. There were extenuating circumstances, and the initial effort was to get a modest amount for an 8-day hospital stay for 3rd degree burns.

Here's a link to the Wikipedia Page on it.

While there can be really extenuating circumstances like that, with the AirTags I agree, nanny state-city.

 

[123jmail]

How about the victims sue the ******* who stalked them instead of the company that made a tool that was never intended to be used this way?

Simple reason they don’t: the lawyers know those folks don’t have money, whereas Apple on the other hand, well, there’s a real bank.

If we were actually serious about stopping garbage cases like this, put the lawyers who bring these cases on the hook for the opposing attorney fees if they lose. Allow the judge to grant relief to the losing attorney if the judge deems the case had authentic merit. Ambulance chasing law offices are out of business overnight, court dockets are cleared, real justice advances. Unfortunately, it will be hard for this to ever happen since most legislative branches are predominantly populated by lawyers and the lobbyists are fat with donations from these tort-lawsuit assembly line factories.

 

[contacos]

What surprises me the most about this article is that they only launched in 2021? Feels like forever ago that I bought my first set

 

[Meatwad]

"Apple has put multiple anti-stalking measures in place, including cross-platform notifications that let potential stalking victims know that an unknown ‌AirTag‌ is following them, but the plaintiffs don't feel that Apple's protections are adequate."

Plaintiffs want $$$$$. That's all.

 

[ginkobiloba]

What about other manufacturers like Tile that had similar products long before Apple ? Are they sued as well or do people only feel stalked when it’s Apple ?

( And none of Apple’s competitors have put any anti-stalking measures in their products. If you wanna stalk someone, the Airtag isn’t the best choice )

 

[Rockanrolero]

That’s like suing a knife company for releasing a product that could, to their knowledge of outcome and possible implementation, be used to cut you 🤔

 

[Kottu]

Are these people for real? Why don't anyone sue companies like Tile or Samsung? Apple has money, så let's milk them!

 

[Neepman]

Class action lawsuits are a dime a dozen!

Yep. The trial lawyers get a new Gulfstream. The plaintiffs get almost enough for a Happy Meal.

 

[Jay-Jacob]

Why do people target Apple with this? There are plenty other trackers around BEFORE AirTag exists! We got mum Tile cos she keep losing her keys and it was before AirTag existed. She now on mine/Dad 1st gen AirTag and we get new 2nd gen AirTag.

Why not sue/complain to them??

Criminals always find criminals ways use normal products, like kitchen knives for stabbing and killing, Kettle boiling water to torture someone, car to run over someone, e-scooter to snatch mobile off people and disappear off, mobile phones and computer to see awful criminal images/plan crime, etc etc.

Nothing is safe.

 

[ajf.350d]

What about other manufacturers like Tile that had similar products long before Apple ? Are they sued as well or do people only feel stalked when it’s Apple ?

( And none of Apple’s competitors have put any anti-stalking measures in their products. If you wanna stalk someone, the Airtag isn’t the best choice )

Was going to post this.
Do they work in different ways, or is this simply because it’s Apple?

 

[svish]

Waiting to see what happens with all these cases. Quite a bit of trouble!!

 

[kotaKat]

And yet nobody's out here suing Life360/Tile for how ****ing invasive a product they've shoved onto the market?

The amount of people being forced to be tracked by Life360 products by family members or significant others should be more of a concern than some damn AirTags.

 

[CosmicTris392]

I'll play devil's advocate here. What if the telescope maker created a wireless network using built in hardware in every telescope that links all telescope owners and allows them to be located on maps regardless of whether customers want to opt out or not? Seems harmless for fellow stargazers that want to socialize. But then some owners start stalking and burgling homes of others based on this data. They complain to the telescope company that they are not doing enough to secure the privacy of their customers and the company doesn't take any useful actions to help their customers even after thousands of crimes reported. What should the telescope maker do next?

You can opt out of the find my network

 

[DougiePhresh]

This is such a stupid money grab. I hope these same people are suing the shoe companies for selling shoes to stalkers and grocery store for selling food to stalkers and trees for providing air to stalkers. It’s lawsuits like this that negatively impact people’s perception of the American legal system

 

[jdavid_rp]

This is not a no-brainer. Its actually a bad idea.

People use air tags as trackers in case something gets stolen like a bike or car or luggage. Being able to disable the beep is preventing the thief from being alerted that they are being tracked.

Apple has said multiple times that is not for stolen items. Apple should prioritize anti tamper features than people using it for unadvertised purposes