Class-action suit says Apple's AirTag tracker is "dangerous"

According to ArsTechnica, this month alone, nearly 40 victims of AirTag harassment have joined a class-action lawsuit against Apple. The suit was originally filed in a California court last December, and the amended complaint accuses Apple of allowing the tracking product to become “one of the most dangerous and frightening technologies employed by stalkers.” as they can be used to generate “real-time location information”. to find the victims.”

The number of AirTag harassment cases is increasing

The number of AirTag harassment cases has risen sharply, and plaintiffs say Apple hasn’t done enough to stop AirTag trackers from stalking people. The complaint reveals that “the consequences were as severe as possible: several murders took place in which the murderer used an AirTag to track the victim.” The plaintiffs are upset by what they say is an “explosion of reporting” about new harassment cases, 19 of which took place in one metropolitan area alone. That would be Tulsa, Oklahoma.

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Apple by victims who claim they were stalked by a hidden Apple AirTag.

To illustrate the seriousness of this situation, an Indiana woman, LaPrecia Sanders, is a plaintiff in the class action lawsuit. His son was killed by his ex-girlfriend who allegedly used an AirTag to track his movements and “followed him to a bar and ran him over with her car, killing him on the spot.”

The complaint is not only about violence. AirTag harassment can also cause financial hardship for victims who have to pay mechanics to search their cars for hidden AirTag trackers. Some victims have had to move to try to hide from an AirTag stalker. And since harassment is traditionally underestimated, the situation could be much worse than anyone thinks.

AirTag units have been hidden in the lining of handbags and have even been sewn inside a child’s teddy bear. Some harassers are known to the target, such as an ex-partner or spouse. Other victims are randomly chosen to be stalked by someone unknown to the victim. Corbin Streett, a technology specialist for the National Network to End Domestic Violence, said Apple seemed to be focusing on the latter scenario and not the former when considering the risks of its AirTag tracker.

The Stalking Prevention, Awareness, & Resource Center reports that “the vast majority of stalking victims are stalked by someone they know” and that “domestic stalkers are most likely to approach, threaten, and harm their victims. According to Streett, these are situations that Apple would not have fully taken into account.

Apple will file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on October 27

The complaint states that an AirTag “will allow stalkers to track their victims’ movements in real time and negate any attempts by the victim to escape or hide from the stalker.” It also states: “What sets AirTag apart from any competing product is its unmatched accuracy, ease of use (it fits seamlessly into Apple’s existing product suite), and affordability. With a price of just $29, it has become the weapon of choice for stalkers and attackers.

The harassment victims suing Apple claim that Apple knew the AirTag tracker could be used by stalkers, but went ahead and advertised them as “stalker-proof.” But when Apple’s claim was proven false, the company had to “address its failures to protect people from unwanted and dangerous tracking,” according to the complaint.

The victims claim Apple violated federal and state laws and claim Apple negligently released a defective product. Through this product, the plaintiffs accuse Apple of having unjustly enriched itself by violating the privacy of each victim who, without their knowledge, was tracked on an Apple device.

The plaintiffs want the court to award damages to people who own an iOS or Android device in the United States. This would include users who were harassed as well as those who were at risk of being harassed. They want the court to issue an order “prohibiting Apple from continuing its illegal, unfair and/or fraudulent practices with respect to the design, manufacture and marketing of its AirTags”.

A motion filed by Apple to dismiss the class action lawsuit is expected to be submitted by October 27. On the same date, Apple is expected to file a response to the plaintiff’s amended complaint with the court.