A Tennessee man has been jailed after he allegedly used an Apple AirTag in a frowned-upon method, which was utilizing it to stalk his spouse. Let’s get this straight, whereas Apple recommends utilizing AirTags to trace misplaced objects, it positively warns customers to not use them to stalk anybody.
Fox Information affiliate WREG stories that Carlos Atkins has been charged with what known as in authorized phrases, “digital monitoring of a motorized vehicle.” Atkins allegedly hid an AirTag in his ex-wife’s automotive so he may place roses on the car. When his ex found the AirTag within the car, Atkins is alleged to have confessed that he secreted it within the automotive.
The girl advised police that after she moved in to stay along with her brother, Atkins got here to the brother’s home and place roses on her vehicle.
The girl additionally advised police that on Monday, Atkins trailed her dwelling from a Mississippi restaurant to her sister’s Memphis residence. The sufferer then referred to as Atkins’ daughter, asking her to inform Atkins to stop contacting her once more.
Apple commented on the usage of the AirTag for stalking.
“AirTag was designed to assist folks find their private belongings, to not observe folks or one other particular person’s property,” an Apple spokesperson stated, “and we condemn within the strongest attainable phrases any malicious use of our merchandise.”
“Undesirable monitoring has lengthy been a societal downside, and we took this concern severely within the design of AirTag,” continued Apple. “It’s why the Discover My community is constructed with privateness in thoughts, makes use of end-to-end encryption, and why we innovated with the first-ever proactive system to warn you of undesirable monitoring.”
“We hope this begins an trade pattern for others to additionally present these kinds of proactive warnings of their merchandise,” stated the spokesperson.
Whereas AirTags are extremely helpful when used for his or her supposed use, which is to trace cars, suitcases and briefcases, keys, and different private objects, some people have used them for extra nefarious functions.
AirTags have been used a number of instances for monitoring folks with out their information. In January, New York Police Division officers found an Apple AirTag secreted beneath their car’s hood.
Fortunately, the AirTag’s anti-stalking characteristic alerted the officers to the tracker’s presence on an officers’ iPhone. The anti-stalking characteristic notifies close by iPhones when an AirTag is detected. It’s believed that such an alert was how the AirTag utilized by Carlos Atkins to trace his spouse was found.
A United Kingdom man was just lately sentenced to a nine-week jail sentence for utilizing an AirTag to trace his ex-girlfriend’s car. Christopher Paul Trotman, 41, had continuously harassed his ex with cellphone calls and questions earlier than he bought an AirTag and glued it to her rear bumper to trace her actions.
Fortunately, there have additionally been good outcomes when AirTags are used of their supposed method.
In January, an AirTag helped discover a canine that had been swept away in California floodwaters. Seamus, a one-year-old Australian shepherd, had fallen right into a fast-moving storm drain being separated from his proprietor throughout a stroll. Fortunately, Seamus was carrying an AirTag on his collar and finally crawled out of an entry tube.
Whereas Apple has warned AirTag customers that the trackers are usually not meant for use to trace pets, kids, and different residing issues which may wander off every now and then, some use them for that very objective.
An earlier model of this text was revealed by Mactrast.