New York attorney general issues warning about potential AirTag misuse

Apple AirTag

The New York attorney general has issued a warning about the potential malicious use of Apple's AirTag trackers, and gave some safety recommendations to consumers.

Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday issued a consumer alert to "protect New Yorkers from bad actors using Apple AirTags to track individuals' locations and their belongings for harmful purposes."

"Across the country, Apple AirTags are being misused to track people and their belongings to cause harm," said James. "I urge all New Yorkers to pay close attention to their belongings and follow the tips provided by my office to stay safe."

There have been concerning reports of bad actors using Apple AirTags to track people's locations and personal belongings, and we're issuing guidance to help New Yorkers stay safe.

Tracking people without their awareness is a serious crime, and we won't tolerate it.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) February 16, 2022

In addition to the warning, and in difference from most other warnings from government officials, James's office also gave safety tips to consumers. They include being aware of "unfamiliar beeping," watching for safety notifications on iPhones, and checking for updated guidance from Apple.

Reports of AirTags misuse have been ticking up since the tracker's release in 2021. While AirTags have been used to deter theft and find missing items, there have been high-profile instances of the Apple tracking devices being used for stalking and other malicious purposes.

Compared to other tracking devices, AirTags have anti-stalking features that make it harder for them to be misused. While competitors like Tile and widely available GPS trackers don't have built-in safety mechanisms, AirTag's security features have led to the arrest of stalkers — and are likely responsible for increased reports of stalking.

In response to the potential for misuse, Apple earlier in February announced a slate of changes aimed at cutting down on stalking or crime. That includes the tweaking of existing safety mechanisms and new features that could make finding an unwanted AirTag easier for iPhone owners.

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13 Comments

Xed 2580 comments · 4 Years

About 2 years ago

LOL Tile would kill for this publicity. Around for almost a decade before the AirTag and no ever gave a shit about their "bad actors".

anantksundaram 20384 comments · 18 Years

This will invite negative reactions from the usual band of suspects, but so be it: Apple will either pull this product in the next few months, or modify protocols for its use. This is a given, since Apple’s stance on privacy as strategy demands it.

Comparisons to other makers of similar items are utterly irrelevant. None of them claims to be a paragon of privacy.

igorsky 757 comments · 9 Years

anantksundaram said:

Apple will either pull this product in the next few months...

This is asinine. If companies started pulling every product that a-holes misuse for nefarious purposes then we'd be back to playing with sticks and hunting for our own food with homemade spears.

igorsky said:

anantksundaram said:

Apple will either pull this product in the next few months...

This is asinine. If companies started pulling every product that a-holes misuse for nefarious purposes then we'd be back to playing with sticks and hunting for our own food with homemade spears.

And how many reports of thieves targeting iPod, iPhone and iPad users have we seen over the years, especially out of New York. I have yet to see Apple stop selling their iDevices because of articles about their theft are more appealing than articles about theft of other devices.

anantksundaram said:

This will invite negative reactions from the usual band of suspects, but so be it: Apple will either pull this product in the next few months, or modify protocols for its use. This is a given, since Apple’s stance on privacy as strategy demands it.
Comparisons to other makers of similar items are utterly irrelevant. None of them claims to be a paragon of privacy.

Your comment reminds me of the marketing and legal teams for the Tucker Torpedo that were against safety features like the seat belts, padded dashboard, and windshield with shatterproof glass that could pop out in a collusion. All safety measures to protect occupants, but these "so-called experts" felt that showing that an automobile had safety features would be an indication that it was unsafe. Like you, I'm sure they felt like they were doing the right thing for Tucker but it's pretty lame logic in the face of reality.

Of course, Tucker didn't survive as car company, but that's for different reasons, but all their safety features and a lot more have become a standard over the decades. Apple is simply leading the way and will continue to improve. If you think the AirTag is going to crumble like the Tucker Torpedo then we have very different views about reality.