In an effort to prevent stalking and abuse facilitated by AirTags, Apple has partnered with law enforcement to combat misuse of the device. Apple has responded to subpoenas and “valid” police requests with account details for AirTags involved in suspected crimes. While the number of AirTag misuse cases is low, the potential for danger is still a concern. Experts suggest that more action is needed to combat stalking and abuse facilitated by Bluetooth-enabled trackers like AirTags. Cornell University’s Clinic to End Tech Abuse (CETA) suggests creating a common standard for alerting people if a tracking device is cataloging their movements across various brands. The recent story of Mississippi Choctaw councilwoman Mary Jean Ben, who found an AirTag planted on her by a former partner, highlights the dangers of technology-assisted stalking and abuse. Ben is now working to raise awareness about the issue in her own community.
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against tech giant Apple in the United States, alleging that its AirTag product, a Bluetooth tracking device, facilitates stalking and other violations of privacy. The lawsuit claims negligence on the part of Apple in the product’s design and availability. The civil suit, filed in the United States District Court of Northern California, states that the AirTag, priced at just $29, has become the “weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers”. Several women, including Cheriena Ben, are participating in the lawsuit. Ben was travelling with her pregnant cousin when she discovered an AirTag on her phone, despite having never heard of the product. The small, silver device has been criticized for facilitating stalking and other privacy violations.
Ben met a man in a bar in late 2021, but he initially blew her off. However, he later contacted her on a messaging app, and they bumped into each other again at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Ben, who had not dated in years, found the man’s attention overwhelming, as he referred to her as his girlfriend early on and bombarded her inbox with messages. Ben’s cousin, who was staying with her after a fight with the father of her unborn child, discovered an AirTag on Ben’s phone. Critics have pointed out that the AirTag’s small size and low cost make it easily accessible for stalkers and abusers.
Apple has declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but has condemned “in the strongest possible terms any malicious use” of its products. The class-action lawsuit seeks damages and demands that Apple corrects its “practice of releasing an unreasonably dangerous product into the stream of commerce.”
Cheriena Ben, a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Apple, had no idea what an AirTag was when her pregnant cousin discovered it on her phone. Her new acquaintance had bombarded her with messages and referred to her as his girlfriend, which made her uncomfortable. By April 2021, she had started to distance herself from him, causing him to become agitated. It was not until her cousin showed her how an AirTag could allow the man to track her every move that she realized she had been stalked.
According to Erica Olsen, the senior director of the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), the Department of Justice estimates that 3.4 million Americans were stalked in 2019. Of that total, 1.1 million cases involved technology, with 394,000 people reporting that their whereabouts had been tracked through apps or devices. Olsen has spent over 16 years investigating how technology has transformed sexual and domestic violence. She has observed a transformation in how society conceives stalking, which is no longer limited to physical proximity to the victim.
Critics argue that AirTags facilitate stalking and other privacy violations. Small, silver, and roughly the size of a large coin, AirTags are Bluetooth tracking devices that are affordable and easy to access. Ben and several other women are participating in a class-action lawsuit against Apple for what they believe is negligence in the product’s design and availability. The civil suit, filed in the United States District Court of Northern California, states that the AirTag has become the “weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers.”
Google’s Street View technology was a turning point in how privacy concerns were viewed, according to Olsen. Released in 2007, Street View allowed users to use 360-degree imagery to explore maps around the world. Google realized that the new feature could be used to identify confidential locations like domestic violence shelters, where abuse survivors often flee for safety. As a result, the NNEDV, where Olsen worked, was consulted for input.
Overall, technology has transformed sexual and domestic violence, and society needs to consider the intersection of technology and abuse seriously. While technology has made life more convenient, it has also enabled stalkers to track and monitor their victims more easily. The problem did not begin with AirTags, but rather it has been ongoing since the spread of caller identification on telephones, which sparked privacy concerns in the 1990s.
Erica Olsen, the senior director of the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), has been investigating how technology has transformed sexual and domestic violence for over 16 years. She has collaborated with high-profile tech companies such as Apple, Amazon, and Meta to find solutions to privacy and safety issues. Despite an increase in awareness among tech manufacturers, rushed launches of potentially unsafe products have occurred. Many technologies are designed with the assumption that those living with the user are safe, which is often not the case in intimate partner abuse situations.
Before the release of AirTags in 2021, other location trackers were found sewn into the lining of purses or concealed inside jackets. The small, silver AirTags are designed to operate within Apple’s vast network of nearly 2 billion active users worldwide, relying on the “Find My” app on other devices to triangulate their location. The trackers’ Bluetooth signal can be picked up by any nearby devices with the app, which then reports its location back to its owner. While this technology alerts Apple users if an unknown AirTag is traveling with them, it is less effective for Android brand phone users, like Ben.
Cheriena Ben was a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Apple, alleging that AirTags facilitated stalking and violence. Ben met a man in a bar in late 2021 and received several unwanted messages from him. By April 2021, she had started to distance herself from him, causing him to become agitated. Her pregnant cousin discovered an AirTag on her phone, which the man had used to track her every move. Ben emptied her bags until she found a flat metal disc slipped into a slit in the fabric of her beloved Louis Vuitton mini-backpack, and she was in shock. Ben and several other women believe that Apple has been negligent in the product’s design and availability.
The Department of Justice estimated that 3.4 million Americans were stalked in 2019. Of that total, 1.1 million cases involved technology, with 394,000 people reporting that their whereabouts had been tracked through apps or devices. Olsen has observed a transformation in how society conceives of stalking, which is no longer limited to physical proximity to the victim. But the problem did not begin with AirTags; it has been ongoing since the spread of caller identification on telephones, which sparked privacy concerns in the 1990s. Google’s Street View technology in 2007 allowed users to use 360-degree imagery to explore maps around the world, leading to further privacy concerns.
In conclusion, technology has transformed sexual and domestic violence, and society needs to consider the intersection of technology and abuse seriously. While technology has made life more convenient, it has also enabled stalkers to track and monitor their victims more easily. The rushed launch of products that may not be safe enough poses a threat to the safety of users. Despite an increase in awareness, the assumption that those sharing a home with the user are safe is often false. Stalking is no longer limited to physical proximity to the victim, and technology has enabled perpetrators to stalk victims through apps and devices.
Apple has taken steps to address the misuse of its AirTags, a location tracking device that has been linked to stalking incidents. The company has partnered with law enforcement agencies and responded to subpoenas and “valid” police requests with account details for AirTags involved in suspected crimes. Some of these incidents resulted in the perpetrator being apprehended and charged. While Apple has built-in safeguards for the AirTag, experts believe further measures are necessary to combat stalking. Cornell University’s Clinic to End Tech Abuse (CETA) director of operations, Alana Ramjit, has seen a “sharp upswing” in stalking cases since the release of AirTags. Ramjit suggests creating a common standard across brands for notifying people if a tracking device is cataloguing their movements. She points to the way tech companies partnered on an exposure notification system during the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence that collaboration across platforms is possible. Ben, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, is currently involved in a lawsuit after discovering an AirTag that her ex-partner had placed in her belongings. Cases such as these have raised concerns over the misuse of AirTags and similar devices. The Justice Department estimated that 3.4 million Americans were stalked in 2019, with 1.1 million cases involving technology. Of those, 394,000 people reported that their whereabouts had been tracked through apps or devices. The Justice Department takes a wider view of stalking now and no longer requires a perpetrator to be physically tailing a victim. Stalking can be committed via technology, whether through repeated unwanted messages or monitoring a victim’s activities.
AirTag: Technology-assisted stalking raises alarm bells for victims of abuse
AirTag, Apple’s Bluetooth-enabled location tracker, has been designed to help people keep track of their personal belongings. However, it has also been misused by abusers to track and monitor their victims’ movements, raising concerns about the lack of regulations and safeguards surrounding its use.
Several victims of abuse have reported being stalked through AirTag. In one such incident, a woman from Mississippi, who had previously worked on the Violence Against Women Act, discovered an AirTag hidden inside her Louis Vuitton backpack. The device belonged to her boyfriend, who was tracking her every move. The woman is now using her own experience to raise awareness about technology-assisted stalking.
Apple’s response
In response to the concerns raised by victims and advocacy groups, Apple has updated the AirTag’s safety features and partnered with law enforcement agencies to combat the misuse of the device. The company has responded to subpoenas and police requests with account details for AirTags involved in suspected crimes, and some of those incidents have resulted in the perpetrators being apprehended and charged.
Shortcomings in combating stalking
Although AirTag was one of the first major location trackers to include built-in safeguards, experts believe that further measures are needed to combat stalking. Alana Ramjit, the director of operations at Cornell University’s Clinic to End Tech Abuse (CETA), believes that creating a common standard across brands for notifying people if a tracking device is cataloguing their movements could help. However, the reluctance to act is part of a broader trend of minimising and neglecting issues of abuse through technology.
The need for awareness
Victims of abuse are advised to be aware of the potential risks of technology-assisted stalking and take appropriate measures to protect themselves. Advocates are also working to raise awareness about the dangers of such devices and to promote stricter regulations and safeguards. However, it is clear that more needs to be done to prevent further cases of technology-assisted stalking and to protect victims of abuse.
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