When Apple first introduced the AirTag, they meant it as something that could help users keep track of their keys, wallets, and other small personal items . But there are always people who take advantage of tracking technology for more nefarious purposes .
Irish actress Hanna Rose May recently shared a Twitter thread discussing how someone had been secretly tracking her with an AirTag while at Disneyland.
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Last week, May posted a Twitter thread sharing her ordeal on a previous weekend.
She frames her shocking story as a warning for other women , as she was potentially stalked for her entire stay at Disneyland one Saturday evening.
“I was an after hours event at Disneyland from 11:45pm to 2am.”
“I got a ‘Find My’ notification at the end of the night that I didn’t think anything of but opened it anyway and it turned out to be this… someone had been tracking me for two hours.”
She shares a map showing her path, which was tracked by the AirTag.
May got the “Find My” notification before she began driving home, which meant she could disable it before her home location was revealed to a potential stalker.
She urges other women to take caution with AirTags.
She says that it’s important to open the “Find My” notification to see if there are any safety concerns. She also recommends an app called Tracker Detect that Apple created for people who don’t use iPhones.
According to May, this kind of tracking is not uncommon.
In her thread, May also shares that she’s received DMs on Instagram of women sharing their own stories of being tracked in L.A. by AirTags. Even if it’s not an everyday occurrence, it’s still something to look out for.
May’s Twitter thread went viral, with many expressing concern and outrage.
With thousands of likes, retweets, and quote tweets, as well as hundreds of comments, many Twitter users shared the story all over, adding their own warnings and advice on how to spot the trackers.
Because they’re so small, they can be easy to miss.
As May states, the tags are about the size of a coin, making them easy to blend into a purse or jacket pocket. Some may not realize they’re being tracked until it’s too late.
Other stories of AirTag stalking have surfaced as well.
Last month an Indianapolis woman used an AirTag to stalk her boyfriend , whom she feared was cheating. When she caught him in the act, she ran him over with her car, killing him .
Apple issued a statement regarding AirTag misuse earlier this year.
In February, Apple released a statement condemning those who use AirTags for nefarious purposes , and committed themselves to working to make sure more safety and security features are added to prevent this kind of misuse from continuing.
“Apple has been working closely with various safety groups and law enforcement agencies.”
“Based on our knowledge and on discussions with law enforcement, incidents of AirTag misuse are rare; however, each instance is one too many,” the company said in its statement.
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