Perhaps you have been hearing the hype about the small mobile tracking devices now available for most smart phone users. Do you misplace your keys often? An AirTag key chain or Pro Tile key chain will solve that problem. A quick glance at your phone and – Voila!! Your keys are found! Wondering if your luggage made it onto the plane? An AirTag can ease your mind and pinpoint where your luggage is in the cargo hold. And, once you have landed, it can help you find those bags on the correct baggage carousel.
These devices pair with your phone and use Blue Tooth to send out the signal. The distance limits on these Blue Tooth only devices is about 33 feet. However, Apple’s AirTag also uses Apple’s Precision Finding app, an ultra-wideband, that will allow you to locate items at greater distances. The Precision Finding app utilizes the full network of Apple devices to ping for your AirTag and send the location back to you. For instance, if you are in a crowded airport, you may not be able to track your bags with Blue Tooth, but the plethora of people in the airport who have Apple devices, including iPad, IWatches, IPods, IMacs, etc. will enable the Precision Find network to ping your AirTag and report the location to you. These devices can be extremely useful. In one case, a parent was able to locate their child’s medicine pack that they must carry with them. The child had left it on the school bus. A man was able to locate his wallet that he had lost on a subway train. These smart tags are great for the traveler and the forgetful.
Now for the downside. Like all great ideas, there are those who will figure out ways to use these devices for nefarious purposes. Police Departments in all parts of the country are becoming increasingly concerned about the misuse of these devices. There have been reports of people, often women, being stalked by someone who has surreptitiously placed an AirTag or Tile on their vehicle. Fortunately, the Apple AirTag will alert you if an AirTag not paired to your specific device appears to be tracking you. This notification, however, is not always as timely as it should be. One young mother reported receiving notification on her IPhone of a “foreign” AirTag near her that was traveling with her and her children. It had been attached to her car without her knowledge. Another woman received a tracking notification and found that someone had slipped the AirTag into a side pocket of her purse. Sometimes the people being tracked can find the device, but this is not always the case, as they are very small and easy to hide.
So, what can be done? In a February 10th statement, Apple said it is working with law enforcement to help mitigate the misuse of these products. Every AirTag has a unique serial number, and paired AirTags are associated with an Apple ID. With a subpoena, Apple indicated they will provide the identifying information to law enforcement to trace the AirTag back to the perpetrator. The company is also looking at ways to update its software to improve alert times and incorporate other safety features. Other companies who make similar devices for Android phones are doing the same. These devices provide a great service for many but, like all good things, you need to know the downside as well as the upside of the technology.