Stalkers sued by Apple for allegedly making it easier to track victims

Two women who claim that AirTag devices have made it easier for their former partners and other stalkers to track down victims, have been sued by Reuters- Apple Inc.

In a proposed class action filed in San Francisco federal court on Monday, the women said Apple was unable to protect people from unwanted traffic through AirTag since the launch of what it called the stalker proof device in April 2021.

AirTags are 1 - 1 4 inches 3.2 cm in diameter and are intended to be slipped into or attached to keys, wallets, backpacks, and other items so people can find them when they are lost.

Privacy experts and law enforcement have said that some people use Airtags for criminal or malicious purposes.

The plaintiffs called AirTag a weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers, and they said it has been linked to murders of women from Akron, Ohio and Indianapolis this year.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for U.S. owners of iOS or Android-based devices that were tracked by AirTag or are at risk of being stalked because of Apple's alleged negligence.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

The Cupertino, California-based company has admitted bad actors have tried misusing Airtags.

In February, Apple announced planned upgrades to make it easier to find the devices, and warn users that unknown AirTags might be traveling with them. One plaintiff in the lawsuit, Lauren Hughes, said her former boyfriend had learned where she had moved to avoid him after placing an AirTag in her car's wheel well.

She said he later posted a picture of a taco truck from her new neighborhood, and included a winking emoji with the hashtag airt 2.0. The other plaintiff, Jane Doe, said her estranged husband tracked her after putting an AirTag in her child's backpack.

The case is Hughes et al v. Apple IncApple Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.