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Apple sued by women who claim they are being stalked by AirTags

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Apple is being sued by two people who say its AirTags were used to unknowingly follow them.

AirTags were released earlier this year, as a way for people to track items. They can be attached to objects such as bags or keys, and then followed from an app on the iPhone.

But numerous reports have suggested that the tags are also being used to follow women without their consent.

The latest case, filed in a federal court in San Francisco, is brought by two women who allege the AirTags were used to track them by ex-partners. One of the women said the trackers were being used by her ex-husband, and were put into their child’s backpack to track her.

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They also allege that the AirTags have been used to follow people and murder them, pointing to a case in Indiana where a woman followed and ultimately killed her boyfriend.

As well as being used for harassment and stalking of women, reports have suggested that the AirTags have been used to track the location of cars so that they can be stolen.

The women argue that Apple has not done enough to stop the AirTags being used and are looking for unspecific damages.

When the AirTags were introduced, Apple warned users that they were not to be used to track people. It also added warnings that will pop up when a phone notices it is being followed by an unknown AirTag, and the tags will start making noises if they are separated from their owner.

Since then, amid further criticism, it has made adjustments to the way the trackers work. Earlier this year it added a message that warns users they may be committing a crime if they use one of the devices to follow people, and that the AirTag can be used to identify its owner, as well as adding a new feature that made it easier to find them.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new lawsuit. But it has said in the past that it is working with law enforcement, as well as releasing software updates, with the aim of making the trackers more safe.

“We’ve become aware that individuals can receive unwanted tracking alerts for benign reasons, such as when borrowing someone’s keys with an AirTag attached, or when traveling in a car with a family member’s AirPods left inside. We also have seen reports of bad actors attempting to misuse AirTag for malicious or criminal purposes,” it said in a February, when it released the new updates.

“Apple has been working closely with various safety groups and law enforcement agencies. Through our own evaluations and these discussions, we have identified even more ways we can update AirTag safety warnings and help guard against further unwanted tracking.”