Apple AirTags was released back in April this year as a means for users to keep track of belongings like keys and laptops. Unfortunately, Apple has acknowledged that these tracking devices (which are small enough to slip into a handbag or coat pocket) could also be used for more sinister activities. That’s why they have updated AirTag technology to send a notification to your phone in case you may be being stalked.
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'AirTag Found Moving With You'
If you receive a notification on your phone saying 'AirTag Found Moving With You', then you may need to contact the authorities. The built-in safety feature was recently introduced to discourage stalking and warn potential victims that they may be in danger.
Essentially, if there is an AirTag in your possession that doesn’t belong to you and/or has been in your presence for a certain amount of time, Apple will send a notification to your phone to signal that you may be a subject of ‘unwanted tracking.’
While the notification could signal danger, it has a few potential meanings:
- You’ve borrowed an item with an AirTag
- You’re in close proximity to a lost AirTag
- Someone has slipped an AirTag on your person to keep track of your location
Here’s what to do if you’re being tracked
It’s unfortunate that we live in a world where being stalked through technology is a real possibility - but we do. While we hope if you ever receive the 'AirTag Found Moving With You' notification that it’s nothing more than an innocent event, there are still some steps you need to take afterwards.
- Tap on the 'AirTag Found Moving With You' notification.
- Tap ‘continue’.
- If you can’t find the AirTag you can select ‘play sound’ to activate an alarm.
- If the AirTag is attached to an item you’ve just borrowed from someone you can disable the notifications for one day. If the item belongs to a friend or family member you can also select to disable the ‘Item Safety Alerts’ altogether.
- If you think you have found a misplaced AirTag you can tap on ‘Learn About This AirTag’ to check the serial number and see if it has been registered as lost. If it has you will be able to access contact details to return the tag to its owner.
- If the AirTag isn’t registered as lost or you believe it could have been planted on you, you can tap ‘Disable AirTag’ to stop it from tracking your whereabouts.
- The steps will then also walk you through removing the AirTag’s battery to disable it entirely.
If you feel concerned for your safety or believe an AirTag has been deliberately used to stalk you, it’s also a good idea to contact your local police who can work with Apple to investigate any potential crime.
Currently, those using an Android device aren’t able to receive the safety notification, but Apple has revealed they are working on an update to solve this later in the year. The company mentioned in a statement:
Later this year, we will also introduce an Android application that will enable users to detect an AirTag or Find My network-enabled accessory separated from its owner that may be travelling with a user.
