Apple’s AirTag is a useful tool for tracking lost items, but it also has the potential to be used for stalking. The device allows users to track the location of their belongings, but it could be misused by individuals to track the movements of others without their knowledge or consent. Fortunately, Apple has included safety features in AirTag to prevent its use for stalking. In one instance, these safety features successfully protected a woman from being stalked.
Apple AirTag safety features foil Iowa man’s repeated stalking attempts
Apple’s AirTag item tracker continues to effectively thwart stalking attempts, as demonstrated by a recent incident in Iowa. A man was arrested after attempting to stalk a person he claimed to be married to, despite the victim telling investigators that the two had never had a relationship and the man had been blocked from contacting them.
Carl Steven Shawver, 63, placed an AirTag on the victim’s car in an effort to track their movements. However, the victim was alerted to the AirTag thanks to Apple’s built-in safety measures, which notified them of the device’s presence. Shawver then showed up at the local police department, where the victim had gone to report the stalking, and claimed that the victim was having an affair at the station.
Despite no arrest being made at this point, the victim was alerted to two further AirTags tracking their movements. West Des Moines Police officers located the second AirTag “placed in a wallet and inside a plastic sandwich bag sitting on top of the spare tire.” The third AirTag was eventually found on the car’s subframe near the front passenger tire, wrapped in plastic and in a case.
All three AirTags were then placed into evidence at the police department, and Shawver was arrested after being found in the station’s parking lot. He is currently being held on a $3,000 bond, with a preliminary hearing set for December 19. This case highlights the effectiveness of Apple’s AirTag safety measures, which have been designed to protect users from stalking attempts.
RELATED:
- Apple May Surpass Samsung and Become Leader in Global Smartphone Market
- Apple Expands Price Point Options in the App Store With Greater Price Flexibility
- Apple’s 10-inch Foldable iPad May Replace iPad Mini Lineup
- Apple Expands Price Point Options in the App Store With Greater Price Flexibility
- Apple M2 Max Geekbench Scores Leak, Revealing Performance Boost
(via)
