Security Concerns

[TomOSeven]

Hey all,

I might sound like a Luddite here, but thinking more about those airtags gives me a bit of an iffy feeling.

Apple have addressed some security concerns, but I feel there are others that aren't answered:

1. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack. My iPhone won't notify me until I'm home, at which point the stalker effortlessly found out my home address. They also have a high degree of certainty that the shared location is indeed your home location if you disable the tracker once you get home.

2. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack, but I don't have an iPhone. My Android phone won't notify me, obviously, so for three days, until the tracker starts beeping, I might be disclosing my location to an unknown person.

I know that this is an American forum and the notion that some people might use Android phones seems foreign, but in Europe and in much of the rest of the world, iPhones have a much lower marketshare.

I realise, of course, that both of these things were possible long before AirTags, but there's a degree of escalation here, because you can achieve sophisticated tracking with a tiny investment and zero technical know-how.

 

[ukms]

Hey all,

I might sound like a Luddite here, but thinking more about those airtags gives me a bit of an iffy feeling.

Apple have addressed some security concerns, but I feel there are others that aren't answered:

1. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack. My iPhone won't notify me until I'm home, at which point the stalker effortlessly found out my home address. They also have a high degree of certainty that the shared location is indeed your home location if you disable the tracker once you get home.

2. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack, but I don't have an iPhone. My Android phone won't notify me, obviously, so for three days, until the tracker starts beeping, I might be disclosing my location to an unknown person.

I know that this is an American forum and the notion that some people might use Android phones seems foreign, but in Europe and in much of the rest of the world, iPhones have a much lower marketshare.

I realise, of course, that both of these things were possible long before AirTags, but there's a degree of escalation here, because you can achieve sophisticated tracking with a tiny investment and zero technical know-how.

You raise some pretty paranoid points (IMHO) ….. if you are that worthy of tracking then my suggestion would be to have your backpack swept for trackers before you reach home.

 

[MarkC426]

1. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack. My iPhone won't notify me until I'm home, at which point the stalker effortlessly found out my home address. They also have a high degree of certainty that the shared location is indeed your home location if you disable the tracker once you get home.

1. What's stopping a stalker just following you without a tracker?

Plus point you would have a free tracker.

 

[Apple_Robert]

OP,

What you mentioned is certainly possible. If someone is that intent on tracking you, it really doesn't matter if you have AirTags or not, in my opinion. Privacy and safety should be at the top of our lists. At the same time, we shouldn't allow those things to keep us from doing what we want.

 

[matrix07]

1. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack. My iPhone won't notify me until I'm home, at which point the stalker effortlessly found out my home address. They also have a high degree of certainty that the shared location is indeed your home location if you disable the tracker once you get home.

You can report this to police, have police contact Apple with evidence which is AirTag in your bag and have Apple identify who’s the owner and sue him.

 

[Ste Nova]

Plus point you would have a free tracker.

a free tracker that’s iCloud locked so useless and if you do turn it on the owner can track it

 

[TomOSeven]

If someone is that intent on tracking you, it really doesn't matter if you have AirTags or not, in my opinion.

I addressed that point. Certainly stalking is already possible, but this makes it extremely easy, even if you have no means or technical know how.

 

[TomOSeven]

You raise some pretty paranoid points (IMHO) ….. if you are that worthy of tracking then my suggestion would be to have your backpack swept for trackers before you reach home.

I'm not concerned about being tracked / stalked myself.

I'm concerned about a world where people walk around permanently disclosing their location to strangers unwillingly and unwittingly. It's one thing to give that information to Apple or Google and quite another to give it to "Pedo Pete the Subway Wanker".

 

[Apple_Robert]

I addressed that point. Certainly stalking is already possible, but this makes it extremely easy, even if you have no means or technical know how.

And it is just as easy to stalk someone without an AirTag. Nutjobs and professionals always find ways. They are as consistent as technology we use.

 

[MarkC426]

a free tracker that’s iCloud locked so useless and if you do turn it on the owner can track it

Then attach the tracker to a wild animal and watch the aresole follow it.

 

[dcp10]

Hey all,

I might sound like a Luddite here, but thinking more about those airtags gives me a bit of an iffy feeling.

Apple have addressed some security concerns, but I feel there are others that aren't answered:

1. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack. My iPhone won't notify me until I'm home, at which point the stalker effortlessly found out my home address. They also have a high degree of certainty that the shared location is indeed your home location if you disable the tracker once you get home.

2. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack, but I don't have an iPhone. My Android phone won't notify me, obviously, so for three days, until the tracker starts beeping, I might be disclosing my location to an unknown person.

I know that this is an American forum and the notion that some people might use Android phones seems foreign, but in Europe and in much of the rest of the world, iPhones have a much lower marketshare.

I realise, of course, that both of these things were possible long before AirTags, but there's a degree of escalation here, because you can achieve sophisticated tracking with a tiny investment and zero technical know-how.

With every new technology there a possibility of abuse. Sadly we may hear about such abuses in the coming months or years, but that risk doesn’t, or shouldn’t negate the greater good it provides.

 

[ukms]

I'm not concerned about being tracked / stalked myself.

I'm concerned about a world where people walk around permanently disclosing their location to strangers unwillingly and unwittingly. It's one thing to give that information to Apple or Google and quite another to give it to "Pedo Pete the Subway Wanker".

Fair enough ….. but your original post talks about you, your backpack and your home

 

[KeithJenner]

1. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack. My iPhone won't notify me until I'm home, at which point the stalker effortlessly found out my home address. They also have a high degree of certainty that the shared location is indeed your home location if you disable the tracker once you get home.

Why won't it notify you until you are home?

This is possible, of course, depending on how far away from home you are when the tag is planted, but in most cases I expect it will notify before that.

 

[Glideslope]

I'm not concerned about being tracked / stalked myself.

I'm concerned about a world where people walk around permanently disclosing their location to strangers unwillingly and unwittingly. It's one thing to give that information to Apple or Google and quite another to give it to "Pedo Pete the Subway Wanker".

Being an American, my solution would be my Glock 43X I carry at all times.
But that’s an American thing. 😏

 

[Makendu]

If you read the documentation Apple put out about this, you would not need to post this and have the information you need.

 

[hans1972]

Hey all,

I might sound like a Luddite here, but thinking more about those airtags gives me a bit of an iffy feeling.

Apple have addressed some security concerns, but I feel there are others that aren't answered:

1. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack. My iPhone won't notify me until I'm home, at which point the stalker effortlessly found out my home address. They also have a high degree of certainty that the shared location is indeed your home location if you disable the tracker once you get home.

2. Suppose a stalker puts one in my backpack, but I don't have an iPhone. My Android phone won't notify me, obviously, so for three days, until the tracker starts beeping, I might be disclosing my location to an unknown person.

I know that this is an American forum and the notion that some people might use Android phones seems foreign, but in Europe and in much of the rest of the world, iPhones have a much lower marketshare.

I realise, of course, that both of these things were possible long before AirTags, but there's a degree of escalation here, because you can achieve sophisticated tracking with a tiny investment and zero technical know-how.

Tile have existed for several years and have even less privacy functions. And Tile are equally cheap and easy to use and they won't beep after three days.

 

[ttforever]

Tile have existed for several years and have even less privacy functions. And Tile are equally cheap and easy to use and they won't beep after three days.

Yeah but 99% of phones won't be running the tile app to trace it, unlike nearly every iphone will allow tracking

 

[Jimmie Geddes]

.

 

[parseckadet]

So wait. You're concerned that if you have an Android phone and there are no other Apple devices in your home that the AirTag will report your home to the stalker without you knowing? How would that happen? The AirTag can only report location via Apple devices. If there are none around then your location won't be reported. This is kind of a "If a tree falls in the woods," scenario if you ask me.