In Spring 2021, Apple released their newest “Apple AirTag,” which has been selling out consistently since the release. The Apple AirTag was initially released as a tracking device that customers could attach to items to help them locate where the item is. 

People can put it on their keys, wallet, luggage, a pet, and any other personal items that they suspect may go missing or be easily misplaced. The $29 device has a one-year battery life and does not need to be recharged. 

Elizabeth Saavedra ’24 owns an Apple AirTag and thinks they are definitely worth the cost. “I have an Apple AirTag on my keys and it’s really useful because it sends me notifications if my keys are far away from me and when it was last seen. I can also ask my phone to ping my keys so that it can make a noise and it can help me find it easier.”

Although the device is handy for tracking down items that may go lost, there are several risks associated with it that have emerged since its release. 

People have found the device under their car or even snuck into their jacket as a way of being tracked for stalking or carjacking.

 Ashley Estrada, a lady in Los Angeles, received a notice on her iPhone informing her that an AirTag was nearby, but she didn’t own one. The AirTag had been following her for four hours before she received the message while running errands. She eventually located the device hidden behind her car’s license plate and alerted the police.

 If an AirTag is being used to track unsuspecting individuals, with an iPhone, they will receive a message that an AirTag is on them and they will be able to play a sound to help discover it. Then they’ll be able to disable it by following the instructions shown on their iPhone. 

For Android users, an app named “Tracker Detect” can detect any nearby AirTags. Once they’ve located the AirTag, they may remove the battery and report it to the authorities.