By: The Guardian
May 17, 2020
Apple has launched the latest version of its operating system, iOS 14.5, which features the much-anticipated app tracking transparency function, bolstering the tech giant’s privacy credentials.
But iOS 14.5 also introduced support for the new Apple AirTag, which risks doing the opposite.
For the uninitiated, an AirTag is a small device (similar to a Tile) that can be attached to personal items such as keys, wallets or luggage. The tag periodically sends messages that can be used to track its location, letting you find any lost or missing items with the help of an app.
While clearly useful, AirTags can also potentially be misused. Concerns have been raised they might facilitate stalking, for example.
And there’s also a more fundamental problem with this technology. Its euphemistic description as a “crowdsourced” way to recover lost items belies the reality of how these items are tracked.