FYI, if you aren't aware people are using Apple Air Tags to stalk people. More useful info at link.

https://appletoolbox.com/airtag-stalking-everything-you-need-to-know/

I miss the good old days of just hiding in the bushes.  Oh, wait...

This is why I don't use ANYTHING apple

9 minutes ago, MartyZ said:

This is why I don't use ANYTHING apple

It isn't Apple doing it. It is people misusing an Apple device.

Also, if you had an Apple phone, it would alert you to the fact that there is an air tag following you around that is not registered to your Apple account.

I am no Apple fan, but I don't see how Apple is to blame for this.

18 minutes ago, Mr.Stu said:

It isn't Apple doing it. It is people misusing an Apple device.

Also, if you had an Apple phone, it would alert you to the fact that there is an air tag following you around that is not registered to your Apple account.

I am no Apple fan, but I don't see how Apple is to blame for this.

It might not be apple doing it, but apple puts out technology that allows this to happen without considering the consequences. By now everyone should know that any time you put out technology that can track someone or something, it will be abused

1 minute ago, MartyZ said:

It might not be apple doing it, but apple puts out technology that allows this to happen without considering the consequences. By now everyone should know that any time you put out technology that can track someone or something, it will be abused

Perhaps we should blame Samuel Colt for people misusing revolvers, too?

There are legitimate use cases for tracking devices. The misuse by some people does not remove those use cases.

5 minutes ago, Mr.Stu said:

Perhaps we should blame Samuel Colt for people misusing revolvers, too?

There are legitimate use cases for tracking devices. The misuse by some people does not remove those use cases.

Totally different scenario. Maybe it's just me, but I take privacy very seriously and I look at some things differently than others.

Tracking devices have been around for years, long before Apple decided to make them. It's doubtful you could determine if any other brand's device is attached to you or your property; unless it was visible that is. 

 

 

18 minutes ago, MartyZ said:

It might not be apple doing it, but apple puts out technology that allows this to happen without considering the consequences. By now everyone should know that any time you put out technology that can track someone or something, it will be abused

Except at least two other companies already had the technology out there. They didn't even lower the price point. Apple's just has more devices, so it works better. Apple has also put in place safeguards that the others never had. They also have brought a level of visibility and scrutiny to it that hasn't been around before.

If you want it regulated, talk to your legislators. 

If apple makes a big enough market, it'll become that much more attractive to those developing tools to figure out if it is being abused. 

I don't want anything regulated; I just want companies to look at the unintended consequences of their actions. I know it will never happen. The only thing I can do is not buy from companies that put out products like this.

7 minutes ago, MartyZ said:

I don't want anything regulated; I just want companies to look at the unintended consequences of their actions. I know it will never happen. The only thing I can do is not buy from companies that put out products like this.

All current cell carriers support mobile tracking devices running on their data network. Are you going to boycott them? I mean why roll out a nationwide wireless data network when it can be abused to track people? 

See, this is why I don't post on here that often anymore. People have a tendency off taking someone's comments and twisting them to make them seem bigger than they are.

I don't like when companies put out products for the SOLE purpose of tracking, period, that is my opinion and I'm sticking with it. Cell phones, GPS, geo tagging, etc... where not specifically designed for tracking, this product was.

1 hour ago, kc17 said:

Tracking devices have been around for years, long before Apple decided to make them. It's doubtful you could determine if any other brand's device is attached to you or your property; unless it was visible that is. 

 

 

This. 
 

Apple, Samsung (android platform) and all sorts of 3rd party tracking tags are available. 
 

Anything can be misused. 
 

I know Apple notifies you when in the presence of an Air Tag, and I believe other similar devices. 

1 hour ago, MartyZ said:

don't want anything regulated; I just want companies to look at the unintended consequences of their actions.

The law of unintended consequences ALWAYS applies to everything. 

From what I read, Apple is working on some changes to help protect against this in an upcoming iOS release. It will be interesting to see if it actually happens and what they come up with. A high-profile stalking/murder case involving one of these things would be absolutely horrible for their PR...

9 hours ago, Mr.Stu said:

Perhaps we should blame Samuel Colt for people misusing revolvers, too?

There are legitimate use cases for tracking devices. The misuse by some people does not remove those use cases.

Noooo, Sammy C shouldn’t be blamed for anything…… ;-)