On Monday, June 12, 2023, several testimonials emerged on Twitter from users who discovered an Airtag inserted into their belongings without their knowledge. An illegal and dangerous practice that had already been denounced in a Tik Tok video that went viral in 2021, shortly after the gadget was released. The young woman claimed to have been tracked throughout the United States, without ever being able to get her hands on the object and without being able to deactivate it. But what exactly are we talking about and how to react if we discover an Airtag in our bag? Lighting.
What is an Air Tag?
Marketed from 2021, this small Apple-branded object was initially designed to allow the most stunned to find, thanks to geolocation, their keys, wallet, suitcase or any other object likely to be lost (or stolen!). Through a Bluetooth system, the Airtag can be tracked by the ” Individuate » downloaded to the owner’s iPhone.
Can we know if an Airtag has been placed without your knowledge?
Witnesses report receiving a notification on their iPhone, informing them that a foreign device had been tracking their movements for some time. However, this alert feature has its limitations. It is already available only for smartphones and tablets running iOS or IPadOS 14.5 and later. So, if you’re using an Android phone, your only option is to download the Tracker tracking application, which doesn’t work all the time but only when you manually start a search, as detailed on Apple’s site:
If you suspect that someone is using an AirTag or other object tracking device to determine your location, you can run a survey to try to locate them. If the app detects an AirTag or compatible object tracking device near you for at least 10 minutes, you can make it play a sound to help you find it.
Another option that might give you a hint: a ” AirTag Charging Case, AirPods Pro (2nd generation), or Find My network accessory that is separated from its owner for a period of time plays a sound when moved “. Second Slatethe delay for the automatic activation of this beep is more than 8 hours from its owner’s iPhone.
What to do if you find an Airtag in your belongings?
Matthieu Audibert, gendarmerie officer and doctoral student in private law and criminal sciences, explained on Twitter on Tuesday the procedure to follow, adding that it is possible to trace the owner, provided you have the serial number of the AirTag and keep it connected. As reported FranceInfo“ if the device has been disconnected, filing a complaint will still allow Apple to trace the identity of the account holder attached to the found AirTag, using the famous serial number “.
Inserting an AirTag without the knowledge of others can constitute a crime, qualified by article 226-1 of the penal code, remember. Those guilty are liable to one year’s imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros. A penalty that rises to two years and a fine of 60,000 euros if it is the spouse or partner of the victim.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or you just want to find out more:
- 3919 and the government website let’s stop THE violence
- Our practical article My boyfriend hit me: how to react, what to do when you are a victim of violence in your relationship?
- The association All ahead and its help chat available at How do we love each other?
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
