Apple is Being Sued by Two Women Who Became Victims of Stalking for AirTag Products

AirTag Apple products that make many cases of stalking occur. (photo: dock.amazon.com)

JAKARTA - Apple Inc has been sued by two women who say their AirTag devices have made it easier for their former partners and other stalkers to track down victims.

In a class action lawsuit filed Monday, Dec. 5 in San Francisco federal court, the women say Apple has been unable to protect people from unwanted trafficking through AirTags since it launched its so-called "stalker proof" devices in April 2021.

Selling for as little as $29, the AirTags are 3.2cm in diameter, and are meant to be tucked into or attached to keys, wallets, backpacks and other items so people can find them when they're lost.

But privacy experts and law enforcement say some people use Air Tags for criminal or malicious purposes.

The plaintiffs called AirTags "the weapon of choice for stalkers and perpetrators of violence," and said they were related to this year's killings of women from Akron, Ohio, and Indianapolis.

Monday's lawsuit seeks damages for unspecified damages to owners of iOS or Android-based devices in the US who were tracked by AirTag or "at risk" of being stalked due to Apple's alleged negligence. Apple itself did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters, as of Tuesday December.

The Cupertino, California-based company has acknowledged that "bad actors" have tried to abuse Air Tag products.

In February, Apple announced planned improvements to make it easier to find devices, and warned users sooner that unknown AirTags might be "travelling with them."

One of the plaintiffs in Monday's lawsuit, Lauren Hughes, said her ex-boyfriend found out where she was moving to avoid her after putting AirTags on the wheels of his car.

He said he later posted a photo of a taco truck from his new neighborhood online, and included a flashing emoji with the hashtag "#airt2.0."

Another plaintiff, Jane Doe, said her estranged husband tracked her down after placing an AirTag in their son's backpack.

The plaintiffs claim that Apple's safeguards are "grossly inadequate." Apple's own security updates in the past have shown they are aware of the oversight and are actively working to fix it as more abusive use cases emerge.

The lawsuit also highlights the security imbalance between iPhone users and those using Android phones.

Stalking is also not prosecuted in the same way in all states, and in many cases, the victim gets next to nothing in terms of legal protection and support. In such a scenario, the onus falls on Apple to take safety precautions that can prevent such incidents from happening to people everywhere.