Dec 6 (Reuters) – Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has been sued by two girls who mentioned its AirTag units have made it simpler for his or her former companions and different stalkers to trace down victims.
In a proposed class motion filed on Monday in San Francisco federal court docket, the ladies mentioned Apple has been unable to guard folks from undesirable trafficking by way of AirTag since launching what it referred to as the “stalker proof” system in April 2021.
Beginning at $29, AirTags are 1-1/4 inches (3.2 cm) in diameter, and supposed to be slipped into or connected to keys, wallets, backpacks and different gadgets so folks can discover them when they’re misplaced.
However privateness specialists and regulation enforcement have mentioned some folks use Airtags for legal or malicious functions.
The plaintiffs referred to as AirTag “the weapon of selection of stalkers and abusers,” and mentioned it has been linked to murders this 12 months of ladies from Akron, Ohio and Indianapolis.
Monday’s lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for U.S. house owners of iOS or Android-based units who have been tracked by AirTag or are “in danger” of being stalked due to Apple’s alleged negligence.
Apple didn’t instantly reply on Tuesday to requests for remark.
The Cupertino, California-based firm has acknowledged that “dangerous actors” have tried misusing Airtags.
In February, Apple introduced deliberate upgrades to make it simpler to seek out the units, and warn customers quicker that unknown AirTags could be “touring with them.”
One plaintiff in Monday’s lawsuit, Lauren Hughes, mentioned her former boyfriend realized the place she had moved to keep away from him after inserting an AirTag in her automotive’s wheel effectively.
She mentioned he later posted a photograph on-line of a taco truck from her new neighborhood, and included a winking emoji with the hashtag “#airt2.0.”
The opposite plaintiff, Jane Doe, mentioned her estranged husband tracked her after placing an AirTag of their kid’s backpack.
The case is Hughes et al v. Apple Inc, U.S. District Courtroom, Northern District of California, No. 22-07668.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Modifying by Chizu Nomiyama
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