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An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

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Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#261

Post by ninkendo »

handmodel wrote: post #185
concinds wrote: post #119

Android users are still vulnerable, and these announcements do nothing to reduce that. All a stalker needs to do, is remove the speaker. To detect a rogue AirTag, an Android owner needs to: 1) know AirTags exist (many obviously don't) 2) go out of their way to install Apple's Android AirTag scanner app (only 100k-500k worldwide have done so according to Google Play stats) 3) manually open the scanner app and scan, si…

For me, 95% of the functionality of Airtags would still be there if it only worked with your own apple devices. I have found airtags for finding things when I lose my keys/wallet around the house. I do leave them at a restaurant tying it to my iPhone would still show the last place I had it.

I felt the same way about Tile back in the day when I used it.

I didn’t want my tile part of their “network”, I didn’t want other tile users to relay the location, I didn’t want my phone relaying other tile users’ locations. I didn’t want my tiles location going to any server at any point. I just wanted a to be able to make my wallet beep if I’m near enough to it for it to be in range of my phone. But the rest of the “features” couldn’t be disabled, so I threw my tiles out.

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#262

Post by Terry_Roll »

gambiting wrote: post #160
thomasguide wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knife purchases are controlled in the U.K.[1] Persons under 18 are not allowed to buy knives, but in practice this means most people are showing an ID to purchase a knife. [1] https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives

In addition, carrying a knife on you without a good reason is a crime in itself - and yes going home with a knife you just purchased is a perfectly valid reason. But having a knife on you "just in case" is not, unless you live in the middle of nowhere or are a farmer or something. Get stopped in the middle of London with a knife and that's a serious crime.

But we also know some laws an unenforceable in practice so are at best a deterrent if that law is made known to everyone, however in practices, laws not even a TLDR are rarely made known and people also forget what with everything else going on in the world.

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#264

Post by hunterb123 »

burlesona wrote: post #258
gambiting wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition, carrying a knife on you without a good reason is a crime in itself - and yes going home with a knife you just purchased is a perfectly valid reason. But having a knife on you "just in case" is not, unless you live in the middle of nowhere or are a farmer or something. Get stopped in the middle of London with a knife and that's a serious crime.

Wow. Not disagreeing with or commenting on that policy at all, but I had no idea knives were treated so seriously in the UK (and presumably elsewhere). Meanwhile in much of the US, not only can you can openly carry a gun around, you don’t even need a permit. Just wow. The world is vast and strange.

The Brits don't have a 2A. We have it because of the Brits. Life isn't that strange if you follow it back.

They have knife bans because they never let their citizens have guns, so there are knife attacks, so they ban knives.

That's why terrorists when they can't sneak AK47s in, rely on vans to run people over, that's why there are bollards everywhere.

Chemical attacks, axes and such can also be used to kill or harm people.

People will find a way to kill people. Guns are an equalizer for weaker humans against stronger ones.

I conceal carry everyday. I don't want to be in a knife fight and I don't want my life to depend on me being stronger than the other person.

You hope not to ever use it, you have it everyday just incase, you practice regularly to stay sharp.

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#265

Post by zeusk »

w-ll wrote: post #243
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #240

> Every AirTag has a unique serial number, and paired AirTags are associated with an Apple ID. Apple can provide the paired account details in response to a subpoena or valid request from law enforcement. We have successfully partnered with them on cases where information we provided has been used to trace an AirTag back to the perpetrator, who was then apprehended and charged. This makes me wonder, could Apple go fu…

> And, I don't think there's any technical reason Apple couldn't do it, right? Technical no; Adding a fraction of a penny to engrave the uuid on the tag is a non-starter.

But they offer free engraving anyway???

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#266

Post by Kye »

oxplot wrote: post #251

This is a great response - very happy to hear Apple's involvement with various groups to make things better. Some noteworthy bits: > we innovated with the first-ever proactive system to alert you of unwanted tracking If that's true, then Apple just raised the privacy bar and now Tile and other small players need to up their game to stay relevant. There is also lesson to learn here: whoever makes a tech/product popula…

Imagine: Bluetooth beacons for helping you find stuff in stores rather than for tracking your movements without permission.

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#267

Post by missedthecue »

chroma wrote: post #192
missedthecue wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe he's saying that stabbing someone is illegal

Current stalking laws already cover such abuses of airtags. I see quite a few comments in this thread proposing a total ban of airtags, which makes about as much sense to me as wanting to restrict chef knives.

I don't think he was prescribing new laws, only saying that the status quo is the closest we can get.

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#268

Post by geofft »

eftychis wrote: post #252
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #240

> Every AirTag has a unique serial number, and paired AirTags are associated with an Apple ID. Apple can provide the paired account details in response to a subpoena or valid request from law enforcement. We have successfully partnered with them on cases where information we provided has been used to trace an AirTag back to the perpetrator, who was then apprehended and charged. This makes me wonder, could Apple go fu…

Consider theft. Now the thieves have the victims phone number to attempt to further steal from them. Or if there is an audible sound, they know the police is coming after them and can drop the airtag and avoid apprehension. This is a two edge blade. Personally, if I was going to use an airtag I would use it to protect myself in case of theft. Now, the thieves can locate the airtag due to a notification and move it to…

Right, or even consider the original case where you have an AirTag on your keys for if you lose them - given a name and a phone number, someone who finds your keys can quite possibly figure out where you live and use the keys.

Most things you lose are both less dangerous lost and worth less to a criminal (and hence less likely to induce someone to become a criminal) if they can't be tied back to you. Don't put "If found, return to 123 Main Street" on your keys, don't put "Apple Confidential" on your USB keys, don't engrave "Property of North West" on her Switch, etc.

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#269

Post by charcircuit »

concinds wrote: post #119

Android users are still vulnerable, and these announcements do nothing to reduce that. All a stalker needs to do, is remove the speaker. To detect a rogue AirTag, an Android owner needs to: 1) know AirTags exist (many obviously don't) 2) go out of their way to install Apple's Android AirTag scanner app (only 100k-500k worldwide have done so according to Google Play stats) 3) manually open the scanner app and scan, si…

>Android users are still vulnerable

You misunderstand how airtags work. Airtags can't track an android user. It can only track people with iPhones (and possibly other apple devices).

Re: An update on AirTag and unwanted tracking

#270

Post by oxplot »

Kye wrote: post #266
oxplot wrote: post #251

This is a great response - very happy to hear Apple's involvement with various groups to make things better. Some noteworthy bits: > we innovated with the first-ever proactive system to alert you of unwanted tracking If that's true, then Apple just raised the privacy bar and now Tile and other small players need to up their game to stay relevant. There is also lesson to learn here: whoever makes a tech/product popula…

Imagine: Bluetooth beacons for helping you find stuff in stores rather than for tracking your movements without permission.

Coins have flip sides :)

But tech wise, I think UWB combined with AR is the tipping point for the application you mention. Bluetooth is unfortunately too coarse to be very useful in locating items. It's still useful in locating stores in a shopping mall though, and that we haven't seen yet.

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