Apple launched AirTag to find lost items, but it has a “blind spot” that makes bad guys take advantage of tracking others and the victims are mostly women.
In April 2021, Apple introduced AirTag, a small accessory containing an external speaker, Bluetooth connection and battery, helping users keep track of things such as wallets, keys… Although born with good intentions, the device This is often used to car theft, stalking ex-girlfriend…
Faced with that situation, Apple has must update to enhance the ability to warn as well as help users detect suspicious AirTags. However, when analyzing the police report, page Motherboard found that the measures Apple put in place to protect users from being tracked only worked in a third of cases.
Of the 150 total reports that mentioned AirTag, 50 were women who called the police because they received a notification that their whereabouts were being tracked by an unknown AirTag. This is a feature that Apple offers if there is a strange AirTag next to the user for too long. Among them, 25 people believe that the culprit is someone they know, such as ex-boyfriend, husband, boss… One woman said that her ex-boyfriend had slashed a tire and left an AirTag in the car to stalk her.
Image: Motherboard
Albert Fox Cahn, CEO of Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, said: “Actually, software, tracking devices existed before AirTag, but Apple has helped abusers and attackers snoop on their targets in a way. cheaper and easier than ever before.Apple’s global network of devices gives AirTag the unique power to track around the world,and Apple’s marketing has helped make this type of technology even more popular. more variable.”
“It’s too late. The feature that helps prevent the misuse of AirTag usually only works and sends notifications after the behavior has been committed and their location has been tracked. There is no fix software. As long as Apple continues to sell a cheap, easily concealed tracking device, stalkers will continue to exploit it.The only solution is to stop selling AirTag. This is too dangerous to survive in the market,” continued Mr. Cahn.
Besides, there is a blind spot that Apple cannot control. That is for people who don’t use iPhones or Apple devices, they will hardly know the AirTag is next to them unless the accessory for some reason emits a warning sound. Android users also have an app to scan AirTag, but it doesn’t work on its own and has to be scanned manually and not everyone does it every day.
Eva Galperin, Cybersecurity Director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said: “It makes no sense to release a new device without taking into account that it’s being used in a domestic violence situation. In particular, the blind spot that Apple encounters users outside of its ecosystem.”
Mary Beth Becker-Lauth, a community educator on domestic violence at the nonprofit Women’s Advocates, also said: “I wish Apple had been more proactive in troubleshooting to reduce the risk of victims of abuse. bad actors attack before this product is even released. Honestly, no tracking technology is going to be completely secure.”
(according to Motherboard)
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