Apple AirTags: What You Need To Know About Tracking Danger

The Washington Post via Getty Images AirTags are small enough to be attached to keys and luggage without being intrusive -- something that stalkers have taken advantage of. “I was concerned very shortly after they were released when I started seeing reports of stalking and being contacted by people who were being stalked using these devices.” In February, Apple condemned the criminal use of AirTags, and the company promised to release further product updates and advancements in 2022 that would “help guard against further unwanted tracking.” So far, Apple has released firmware updates to include new privacy warnings upon sign-up, alert users sooner to tracking by unknown AirTags, and tune the sound that AirTags make. AirTags work by privately exchanging encrypted signals with other Apple devices in their immediate vicinity, creating a virtual network that compensates for the fact that Bluetooth signals typically don’t travel farther than about 30 feet. “Individuals can receive unwanted tracking alerts for benign reasons, such as when borrowing someone’s keys with an AirTag attached, or when traveling in a car with a family member’s AirPods left inside,” Apple said in its February statement. In cases that may involve ill intent, Apple can provide an AirTag’s account details to police “in response to a subpoena or valid request from law enforcement,” the company said.