Apple is serious
No stalking with Airtags: Apple reports perpetrators to the police
Anyone who misuses air tags does not make friends at Apple.
© Christoph Fröhlich / star
Apple is doing everything it can to ensure that air tags are only used to find your own items: in addition to new features for the Bluetooth trackers, there is also a serious warning.
In a press release, Apple once again commented on the misuse of Airtags: “We strongly condemn any malicious use of our products. Unwanted tracking has long been a social problem.” Therefore, there are new functions for more security when using it and an announcement from Apple that is unusually aimed at users who want to use an Airtag to find (or track) things other than personal items.
Airtags also help in the search for perpetrators
It says: “We are actively working with law enforcement on all Airtag-related leads that we have received.” However, the fact that this is only a memory is revealed by the following text. It reads: “We have worked successfully together in cases where the information we provided has been used to trace an airtag to the perpetrator who has then been arrested and charged.” According to the company, there have not been many such cases, but Apple says that each case is one case too many.
With new functions, Apple is better protected legally, among other things, and gives potential perpetrators the opportunity to reconsider future plans. When setting up an airtag, there should now be indications that the tracker is only intended for objects and that tracking people is a criminal offence. The manufacturer announces there that information such as a unique serial number and paired Apple IDs will be reported to the authorities upon legitimate request.
Disabling speakers useless
Finding the air tags will also be improved, so Apple wants to make it possible for users of newer iPhones to be able to locate unknown air tags more precisely and to help with the search using sound, haptic and optical feedback.
In addition, Apple wants to revise the behavior of air tags that are longer separated from the owner. So far, the trackers then play a sound so that Android users also have a chance to find the search chips. But since there are now first points of sale for air tags with a removed speaker to prevent exactly that, Apple is expanding the warning to include a message on Apple devices. This should then indicate the tracker despite poor (or intentionally prevented) audibility.
Source: Apple