Two women have filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc on the grounds that the company’s AirTag devices have made it simpler for their ex-partners and other stalkers to track down their targets.
The ladies said since April 2021, when Apple released what it referred to as the “stalker proof” technology, AirTag, they had been unable to protect people from unwanted trafficking.
On Monday, they filed a proposed class action lawsuit in San Francisco federal court.
AirTags, which start at $29 and have a diameter of 1-1/4 inches (3.2 cm), are designed to be put into or attached to backpacks, wallets, keys, and other objects so that they may be found when they are lost.
However, according to law enforcement officials and privacy experts, some people utilize Airtags for nefarious or criminal objectives.
According to the plaintiffs, AirTag has been linked to the killings of women from Indianapolis and Akron, Ohio, this year. They dubbed it “the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers.”
Owners of iOS or Android-based devices in the United States who were monitored by AirTag or are “at risk” of being stalked as a result of Apple’s purported carelessness are seeking unspecified damages in Monday’s lawsuit.
The Cupertino, California-based company has admitted that “bad actors” have used Airtags inappropriately.
Apple announced planned updates in February that would make it simpler to locate the devices and alert users more quickly if unidentified AirTags could be “traveling with them.”
Lauren Hughes, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed on Monday, said her ex-boyfriend discovered her new location by putting an AirTag in her car’s wheel well.
She said he later used the hashtag “#airt2.0” with a picture of a taco truck from her new neighborhood and a winking emoji.
The other plaintiff, Jane Doe, said after placing an AirTag in their child’s bag, her estranged husband tracked her.
