So, are AirTags dangerous?

[bitheerani90]

The most terrifying scenario hasn’t happened yet, and it’s unlikely to happen; after all, Apple cares about the security of its own infrastructure. You should also keep in mind that there are other devices similar to AirTags; in fact, there have been several legal and illegal tracking devices in existence for over a decade.

Furthermore, consumer tags with similar functionality to AirTag have been on the market for a long time. Tile launched its slovenia mobile database in 2013 and also offers ways to search for lost and found items over long distances, applying the same principle as AirTag. Of course, this company probably won’t be able to achieve the “coverage” of hundreds of millions of iPhones. Plus, devices like these cost money, sometimes a lot of it, and are relatively easy to detect.

In the case of the AirTag, you must be signed in to an Apple account, which is difficult to create anonymously without providing a real name and usually a credit card number. If the police report a case of illegal tracking, Apple will give you this data; it is true that you must convince the police to request such data and, according to the testimonies of victims in different countries, this does not always happen.

Finally, we can say that we are facing the same old story: the AirTag is a useful technology that criminals can also use for malicious purposes. Apple didn’t invent cyberbullying, but it did create a technology that allows people to harass others. This means that it is the company’s responsibility to make it difficult for people to use the device for questionable purposes.

Once again, Apple’s closed ecosystem of software and devices is in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. If you have an iPhone and someone slips an AirTag into your bag, your phone will notify you. But what if you don’t have an iPhone? Apple has now developed a workaround, releasing an app for Android smartphones that you must install to detect tracking. The bottom line is that Apple has created a problem for everyone, but it has offered a simple solution exclusively for its own customers . Others will have to adapt somehow.

This month, Apple attempted to respond to the avalanche of criticism by issuing a lengthy statement. In it, the company acknowledged that before launching the AirTag, it had not fully assessed the risks of all the ways in which it could be used, whether legally or illegally. It also reiterated that it is committed to reminding AirTag buyers more explicitly that these devices should not be used to track people. Apple also plans to increase the volume of beeps that help find an AirTag that someone has placed among their belongings. But while the gesture is a real initiative, it does not solve all the problems. Hopefully, over time, Apple will be able to implement definitive solutions to separate legal and illegal uses of the AirTag.