Apple’s popular AirTags, designed to help people locate their lost belongings, have come under scrutiny following a recent class-action lawsuit filed in California. The lawsuit alleges that these innocuous tracking devices have been weaponized by stalkers, leading to financial distress, and tragically, even murder, as reported by Ars Technica.
The lawsuit claims that AirTags have been employed by stalkers in at least 20 US states, with Apple accused of failing to take adequate action to protect potential victims. Since the introduction of AirTags just last year, at least two murders are alleged to be directly linked to their usage.
Plaintiffs in the proposed class-action lawsuit are seeking unspecified damages on behalf of owners of iOS or Android devices who have been tracked with an AirTag or are at risk of being stalked. Victims assert that AirTags are increasingly being utilized for stalking, a concerning trend that includes an uptick in international AirTag-related stalking cases and over 150 police reports filed in the US as of April 2022.
The escalation of this issue is deeply troubling, the plaintiffs argue, as they believe that Apple has not taken sufficient steps to mitigate the harm caused by AirTags stalking. Victims of this invasive technology often endure substantial costs, such as hiring mechanics to dismantle their cars in search of AirTags or repeatedly relocating their residences.
Perhaps even more harrowing are allegations of violent outcomes stemming from AirTags stalking, including murder. Plaintiffs emphasize that the extent of the problem might be far greater than currently known since stalking incidents are historically underreported, amplifying the urgency of addressing this issue.
As this alarming lawsuit unfolds, Apple has yet to release a public statement addressing the allegations and concerns raised by the plaintiffs.
The allegations brought forth in the class-action lawsuit against Apple serve as a stark reminder of the potentially devastating consequences that can arise from the misuse of technology. While AirTags were designed with the intent of helping people locate lost items, their unintended transformation into tools for stalking and violence underscores the urgent need for measures to protect potential victims and address this issue.
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4.https://9to5mac.com/2023/10/13/airtag-stalking-murders/
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