Apple's lost item tracker 'AirTag' encourages stalking
Using the lost item tracker `` AirTag '' developed by Apple, it is possible to easily determine the position of an object with an AirTag attached, but there are also many reports of stalking damage that uses simplicity. Overseas media The Guardian has summarized the actual situation of AirTag damage, including the words of actual victims and experts.
'I didn't want it anywhere near me': how the Apple AirTag became a gift to stalkers | Apple | The Guardian
Laura (pseudonym), who was interviewed by The Guardian, confessed about stalking damage caused by AirTag actually received from a former partner.
When Mr. Laura was in his car one day, it seems that a notification was displayed on the smartphone that an unknown AirTag was detected. Laura had no idea about the notification, and her location and the route she had taken were displayed on her smartphone, causing her to panic. Said he found it.
Laura had just broken up with her partner a few days ago, but the day before she parted, her partner was spending time with her young son, and when they parted, she moved the child seat to Laura's car. At this time, it was clear that AirTag was set up, and Laura sued her partner for stalking based on the clues.
Cases like Laura's are not uncommon, and stalker damage using AirTag, which can identify location information in a small and inexpensive manner, is occurring frequently all over the world. In the United States, in June 2022, stalking using AirTag developed into a murder case, and the damage is expanding.
According to Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which supports stalking victims, and Refuge, which conducts philanthropic activities related to domestic violence, most AirTag stalking is caused by the victim's partner, but there are also cases where AirTag is set on celebrities. It seems that the target cannot be narrowed down to one.
Apple, which designed the AirTag, ``takes the stalking problem very seriously,'' and has designed a system to alert you if an unregistered AirTag is traveling with you, making it easier to find your AirTag. We are working on the development of technology to do so. However, experts point out that such a technique unique to technology companies, ``first sell the product and then solve the problem,'' is problematic.
Rory Innes of Cyber Helpline, which helps victims of cybercrime, complains about the above method, ``It's impossible in other industries.'' Other industries have strict laws, regulations, and safety standards, but they don't exist in the technical field. 'There is no understanding of how technology can be used to victimize stalkers.'
Also, Mr. Innes points out that there is not enough support when it is damaged. In the case of AirTag, even if you find an unknown AirTag, it is impossible to ask someone from Apple for support, and you have to rely on experts and the police. It has also been pointed out that if the victim tries to disable the AirTag, the perpetrator who senses it may escalate the crime. Even if such damage is reported, it seems that there are cases where the police do not take the problem seriously.
In addition, Mr. Laura, who was interviewed by The Guardian, has received stalking protection measures for 5 years at the time of writing the article. Laura said, 'He looked like a normal person, but he acted very unbelievably.'
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in Hardware, Posted by log1p_kr