Two women have sued Apple after claiming AirTag devices made it easier for their ex-partners to find them.
apple says it has made the devices “tracking-proof” — but a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in San Francisco claims that’s not the case.
AirTags, which start at £24, are small discs about 3cm in diameter that can be attached to keys, wallets, backpacks and other items so people can find them if they are lost.
But there are growing concerns that some people are using trackers for criminal or malicious purposes.
The two women are suing for themselves and others who claim to be being tracked because of AirTags.
Lauren Hughes moved to avoid her ex-boyfriend and claims he discovered her new location after placing an AirTag in the wheel well of her car.
She said he later posted online a photo of the burrito truck from her new neighborhood, along with a winking emoji with the hashtag “#airt2.0.”
Another plaintiff, who remains anonymous, said her estranged husband found her after he put an AirTag in a child’s backpack.
They describe AirTags as “the weapon of choice for stalkers and abusers” — and claim it’s been linked to this year’s murders of women in Ohio and Indiana.
These devices use Bluetooth signals that can be detected by Apple’s Find My Network feature.
Their lawsuit seeks unspecified damages to owners of U.S. iOS or Android devices tracked by AirTag or “at risk” of being tracked due to Apple’s alleged negligence.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
The California-based company acknowledged that “bad actors” had tried to misuse AirTags.
In February, Apple announced plans for an update to make it easier to find these devices and to more quickly warn users when an unknown AirTag might be “carried around.”