Apple Finally Releases AirTag Update So Users No Longer To Follow Bad People

AirTags are often misused to stalk someone without their consent. (photo: doc. Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Apple's tracking device, the AirTag, is often misused to stalk someone without their consent. Of course this is a crime. However, the company immediately fixed it including the Find My feature network.

Following the introduction of AirTags in 2021, numerous media reports and updates from local police departments have warned of incidents where AirTags were used for unwanted tracking, including valuable people and property. Like a car thief.

This has resulted in a nightmare for Apple, which has positioned itself as a company that focuses heavily on consumer privacy.

A series of updates were introduced to prevent additional stalking victims from occurring. Where if an AirTag user uses the tool to track someone without approval, they will be warned they have committed a crime, and law enforcement can request identifying information about the AirTag owner.

This warning aims to prevent people from using AirTags for anything other than tracking their personal belongings.

"In an upcoming software update, any user setting up their AirTag for the first time will see a message clearly stating that the AirTag is meant to track their own belongings, that using an AirTag to track people without consent is a crime in many areas of the world. around the world," Apple said in the company's official blog.

"AirTags are designed to be detected by victims, and law enforcement can request identifying information about AirTag owners."

In fact, Apple has been quite slow in dealing with this, after supporters of the victims criticized the technology giant in Cupertino, the United States (US), as a cheap and easy-to-use tool.

In May 2021, EFF Director of Cybersecurity Evan Gelperin spoke out against those ignoring the potential dangers of AirTags.

"People who show potential for Air Tag stalking appear to be people who, one they are not familiar with how intimate partner harassment works, second, they are from a group that is less likely to be a victim of intimate partner abuse," Gelperin said.

It doesn't stop there, Apple also says it's actively working with law enforcement on all AirTag-related requests it receives, and may provide account details in response to subpoenas or other valid law enforcement requests.

This may be because each AirTag has a unique serial number associated with an Apple ID. The company claims that by providing this information, law enforcement agencies have, in most cases, been able to trace the AirTag back to its owner, who was subsequently arrested and charged. Apple declined to say how many cases were involved.

However, it is not clear whether working with the police after the incident is a solution that will address the misuse of AirTags on a large scale.

Then, there's a clarification feature that the "Unknown Accessory Detected" warning will only be shown if AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, or "Third-party Find My network accessories" are detected near the iPhone, and if the iPhone detects an AirTag. unknown then the notification will read "AirTag Found Moving With You".

Apple will adapt how its alerts work. It will simultaneously display a visual alert on the user's iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when an unknown AirTag is detected with them and plays a sound.

This alert will direct the user to further assistance finding the AirTag using a precision search tool or allow them to trigger the AirTag to make a sound, something that can be helpful if the AirTag is placed where the alert is difficult to hear.