Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Apple
Apple's AirTag has become a must-have device for tracking belonging, as its small form factor allows us to install it virtually anywhere.
But the features that make it such a convenient device are the small form factor and how it communicates with the master device. The tiny pill-shaped tracker doesn't have built-in Internet access or GPS but uses nearby iPhones to communicate its location to the owner.
It can access any iPhone in proximity specifically to show its location in the Find My app on the owner's smartphone.
These features have turned AirTags into a double-edged sword, and Palm City Republican Rep. Toby Overdorf believes it's time to stop people from misusing the device.
Stalkers and criminals have turned to AirTags to monitor their victims, hiding the device in their cars, backpacks, or purses. The AirTag can indeed warn someone that it's moving with them, but if it's planted in a hard-to-reach spot, it could take hours until the victim finds it.
Overdorf believes Florida should have steep penalties for people who use AirTags for stalking, so he proposes turning it into a third-degree felony. It means anyone using an AirTag to keep tabs on someone's location could spend ten years in prison and pay a $5,000 fine. Today, a criminal doing the same thing can only get up to 60 days in prison and a $500 fine.
Overdor says Florida should better regulate the AirTag, so he wants the tracking devices to be specifically included in the laws. As a result, criminals turning to AirTags for nefarious purposes would no longer fall under a second-degree misdemeanor.
The bill states that the AirTag can still be used by parents and caregivers to track others as long as they act in good faith. In other words, installing an AirTag in your kid's backpack won't be considered a punishable misdemeanor. Law enforcement would also have exemptions to track criminals, as the AirTag has already proved to be a valuable tool in the fight against thieves.
Apple has already tweaked the AirTag to prevent activities like stalking. The device can notify the person who carries the AirTag by sending a notification on their phone. The user can make the device generate a sound without notifying the owner. Apple is also working with the police to determine the identity of an AirTag owner based on the serial number and the ID associated with the device.
Police tell residents to call 911 whenever they find an AirTag and believe they are in danger. Otherwise, you can always file a report if you come across a hidden AirTag in your car, as the officers can work with Apple to find how and why they planted the device to track your location.
It can access any iPhone in proximity specifically to show its location in the Find My app on the owner's smartphone.
These features have turned AirTags into a double-edged sword, and Palm City Republican Rep. Toby Overdorf believes it's time to stop people from misusing the device.
Stalkers and criminals have turned to AirTags to monitor their victims, hiding the device in their cars, backpacks, or purses. The AirTag can indeed warn someone that it's moving with them, but if it's planted in a hard-to-reach spot, it could take hours until the victim finds it.
Overdorf believes Florida should have steep penalties for people who use AirTags for stalking, so he proposes turning it into a third-degree felony. It means anyone using an AirTag to keep tabs on someone's location could spend ten years in prison and pay a $5,000 fine. Today, a criminal doing the same thing can only get up to 60 days in prison and a $500 fine.
Overdor says Florida should better regulate the AirTag, so he wants the tracking devices to be specifically included in the laws. As a result, criminals turning to AirTags for nefarious purposes would no longer fall under a second-degree misdemeanor.
The bill states that the AirTag can still be used by parents and caregivers to track others as long as they act in good faith. In other words, installing an AirTag in your kid's backpack won't be considered a punishable misdemeanor. Law enforcement would also have exemptions to track criminals, as the AirTag has already proved to be a valuable tool in the fight against thieves.
Apple has already tweaked the AirTag to prevent activities like stalking. The device can notify the person who carries the AirTag by sending a notification on their phone. The user can make the device generate a sound without notifying the owner. Apple is also working with the police to determine the identity of an AirTag owner based on the serial number and the ID associated with the device.
Police tell residents to call 911 whenever they find an AirTag and believe they are in danger. Otherwise, you can always file a report if you come across a hidden AirTag in your car, as the officers can work with Apple to find how and why they planted the device to track your location.
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