The Office of the Attorney General for the State of New York has words of warning about Apple’s AirTag. Good news for the tech-literate: The whole thing is pretty sensible.
In a press release issued Wednesday, the Office of the A.G. explained what AirTags are and how they’re meant to be used. But, bad actors are doing bad things with them, and so New York Attorney General Letitia James issued her warnings, not only to potential victims, but to bad guys as well. Quoting Attorney General James:
Across the country, Apple AirTags are being misused to track people and their belongings to cause harm… Tracking people without their awareness or consent is a serious felony and will not be tolerated by my office. I urge all New Yorkers to pay close attention to their belongings and follow the tips provided by my office to stay safe.
And those tips are way sensible, including:
Listen for unfamiliar beeping.
Watch for “Item Detected Near You” notifications on iPhones.
If you have an Android device, download Tracker Detect from the Google Play Store.
Know that not all unfamiliar AirTags are malicious.
Check for updated guidance. [from Apple]
Update your Apple device’s operating system.
I think my favorite tip was the one that had the A.G.’s office advising people to be aware without jumping straight to freaking out. Under the tip, “Know that not all unfamiliar AirTags are malicious,” the office said:
While it is important to be careful, AirTags are sometimes legitimately lost by their users, and your device will alert you regardless. If an AirTag has been reported lost, your Find My notification will give you information to allow you to return it.
For New York residents who are (or suspect they are) the victim of AirTag misuse, the state A.G.’s office wants to hear from you. The office urges people to file a report on the misuse on the Office of the Attorney General’s website.