4 ms·

Consider theft. Now the thieves have the victims phone number to attempt to further steal from them. Or if there is an audible sound, they know the police is co

Consider theft. Now the thieves have the victims phone number to attempt to further steal from them. Or if there is an audible sound, they know the police is coming after them and can drop the airtag and avoid apprehension. This is a two edge blade. Personally, if I was going to use an airtag I would use it to protect myself in case of theft. Now, the thieves can locate the airtag due to a notification and move it to an unsuspecting other victim, which will then move on to press charges against me, and I will have to defend myself in court. I don't see the appeal.

geofft 5y ago
Right, or even consider the original case where you have an AirTag on your keys for if you lose them - given a name and a phone number, someone who finds your keys can quite possibly figure out where you live and use the keys. Most things you lose are both less dangerous lost and worth less to a criminal (and hence less likely to induce someone to become a criminal) if they can't be tied back to you. Don't put "If found, return to 123 Main Street" on your keys, don't put "Apple Confidential" on your USB keys, don't engrave "Property of North West" on her Switch, etc.
- Wowfunhappy 5y ago
  Hm, how easy is it to get an address from a cell phone number these days? Maybe Apple could only include the Apple ID? My goal would be to provide enough information so that, if the AirTag's owner is someone the victim knows, they'll be able to determine who it is. Apple needn't provide enough information to identify random strangers, because most stalkers aren't random strangers. (And, the AirTag is appealing due to its ease of use; it would be easier and cheaper to buy a GPS tracker than set up a burner iPhone.) It may not be possible to do this in a completely harmless way to the AirTag owner, but I do think potential victims should get more priority here. Telling everyone to file a police report isn't great IMO, because potential victims may have all sorts of reasons for not wanting the police involved.
Wowfunhappy 5y ago
But Apple is already saying you shouldn't use AirTags for cases of theft. The AirTags already attempt to alert people to their presence, including with sound.
- bobbylarrybobby 5y ago
  "Don't expect to be able to use AirTags as an anti-theft device" is very different from "AirTags should allow thieves to do even more harm to you"

geofft 5y ago

Right, or even consider the original case where you have an AirTag on your keys for if you lose them - given a name and a phone number, someone who finds your keys can quite possibly figure out where you live and use the keys. Most things you lose are both less dangerous lost and worth less to a criminal (and hence less likely to induce someone to become a criminal) if they can't be tied back to you. Don't put "If found, return to 123 Main Street" on your keys, don't put "Apple Confidential" on your USB keys, don't engrave "Property of North West" on her Switch, etc.

Wowfunhappy 5y ago
Hm, how easy is it to get an address from a cell phone number these days? Maybe Apple could only include the Apple ID? My goal would be to provide enough information so that, if the AirTag's owner is someone the victim knows, they'll be able to determine who it is. Apple needn't provide enough information to identify random strangers, because most stalkers aren't random strangers. (And, the AirTag is appealing due to its ease of use; it would be easier and cheaper to buy a GPS tracker than set up a burner iPhone.) It may not be possible to do this in a completely harmless way to the AirTag owner, but I do think potential victims should get more priority here. Telling everyone to file a police report isn't great IMO, because potential victims may have all sorts of reasons for not wanting the police involved.

Wowfunhappy 5y ago

But Apple is already saying you shouldn't use AirTags for cases of theft. The AirTags already attempt to alert people to their presence, including with sound.

bobbylarrybobby 5y ago
"Don't expect to be able to use AirTags as an anti-theft device" is very different from "AirTags should allow thieves to do even more harm to you"