Photo: Apple
In theory, Apple’s AirTag is a little device with a very clear purpose: help owners track their belongings, be they wallets, keys, or any other valuable goods.
But its tiny form factor coupled with the way it works turned the Apple AirTag into the favorite weapon of strangers who just want to track someone, either for fun or for other nefarious purposes.
The number of people who come across AirTags hidden behind their license plates keeps growing, and the police in some regions have even issued a warning that Apple’s device could be used by criminals to keep track of their victims.
And TikTok user Kayla Malec has recently demonstrated exactly how the whole thing works.
Malec was notified on her iPhone that a nearby AirTag could be used to track her location, and after thoroughly searching both inside and outside the car, she discovered the device hidden behind the license plate.
Of course, it’s very hard to figure out who put the $29 tracking device in such a hard spot, but at first glance, the purpose was very clear: keep track of the car’s location as it was moving across the city.
But as the video went viral, several other people online came with similar stories on how the Apple device was employed by strangers as a tracking device. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Brooks Nader has recently revealed that someone put an Apple tracking device in her coat and then used it to keep track of her location.
Apple itself claims the AirTag was only built to help people track their belongings, and the company emphasizes the device comes fitted with tools to let users know someone might monitor their location.
Indeed, such notifications come in handy when the whole thing happens, but given the malicious actors out there turn to more and more complex ideas to hide the trackers, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to deal with what’s becoming the perfect modern stalking device.
The number of people who come across AirTags hidden behind their license plates keeps growing, and the police in some regions have even issued a warning that Apple’s device could be used by criminals to keep track of their victims.
And TikTok user Kayla Malec has recently demonstrated exactly how the whole thing works.
Malec was notified on her iPhone that a nearby AirTag could be used to track her location, and after thoroughly searching both inside and outside the car, she discovered the device hidden behind the license plate.
Of course, it’s very hard to figure out who put the $29 tracking device in such a hard spot, but at first glance, the purpose was very clear: keep track of the car’s location as it was moving across the city.
But as the video went viral, several other people online came with similar stories on how the Apple device was employed by strangers as a tracking device. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Brooks Nader has recently revealed that someone put an Apple tracking device in her coat and then used it to keep track of her location.
Apple itself claims the AirTag was only built to help people track their belongings, and the company emphasizes the device comes fitted with tools to let users know someone might monitor their location.
Indeed, such notifications come in handy when the whole thing happens, but given the malicious actors out there turn to more and more complex ideas to hide the trackers, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to deal with what’s becoming the perfect modern stalking device.
@kaylamalecc found the air tag. #fyp ? original sound - kayla
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