Submitted 1 year ago by stopthatgirl7@kbin.social to technology@lemmy.world
Dozens join lawsuit alleging Apple AirTags are stalkers’ “weapon of choice.”
It’s an interesting question. How much focus should be on apple for providing a technology with a valid use case, as opposed to the systemic issue of the authorities ignoring stalkers and harassers?
What, you actually expect cops to… reads quote under painted seal on the side of the police cruiser “protect and serve?” What are you, crazy? They’ve got their pension to worry about!
The neat part of the trick is that the quote never says who specifically gets protection and service.
A lot of cops are abusers.
And yet, Apple is the one alerting people that an AirTag may be following them unlike other brands.
I was on a small lunch cruise this summer and after like an hour or so, my android 11 phone pinged me that it detected an unknown airtag following me. Fairly sure by now most would have that functionality.
You mean other iPhone users? You are not a person if you don’t buy an iPhone.
Google and Samsung had to build and rollout safety features because Apple didn’t care for Android users.
Google and Samsung had to build and rollout safety features because Apple didn’t care for Android users.
The feature needs to be built into the operating system. Apple and Google worked together on a specification for unwanted trackers that's now built into Android.
Thats not even true… they released their android app for tracker detection in 2021.
HOWEVER, it doesnt scan in the background like the new safety features do. Let’s not pretend they did absolutely nothing, because they DID do something.
Right?
Seems more like a case of survivorship bias. AirTags get the news because they get caught more often than something like a Tile that does not alert people.
This is actually great because it makes it easier to catch the stalkers, only the ones stupid enough to use a device which identifies you to your victim.
AirTags are too powerful and too good for mankind. We are assholes.
OhStopYellingAtMe@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Why blame Apple for this?
Would you sue Ford for making a windowless van that makes it so easy to transport kidnapped children?
When you configure the AirTag, there is an alert which explicitly states that using these to stalk people is illegal. If someone does try to smuggle one into you and you have an iPhone, it will let you know you’re being stalked.
I know how much this community looooves to shit in Apple, but this case is completely asinine.
JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
I wonder if Apple could give an option for the anti stalking to android. If they could but they aren’t, that could be an argument that they are making stalking easier to promote their ecosystem.
TheEntity@kbin.social 1 year ago
They already did, except you need to be willing to install a proprietary Apple application. Still a de facto data ransom.
rozPierog@lemdro.id 1 year ago
Android can show you alerts even without the Apple app support.google.com/android/answer/13658562?hl=en
kirklennon@kbin.social 1 year ago
Apple and Google collaborated on a specification for this and anti-stalking rolled out to Android in August.
stopthatgirl7@kbin.social 1 year ago
They’ve put out an android app that will notify people of AirTags, so they already have. But, as is kinda obvious, not so many people know about it.
Lemmitor@lemmy.world 1 year ago
If the court certified a class of people alleging a claim against Apple based on damages incurred as a result of the AirTag products, the case, at the very least, deserves to be heard on its merits.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable that something like this would go to trial. The questions of what statutes, if any, has Apple violated and what liability Apple should hold deserve to be answered in a court of equity.
Now whether the final ruling will be fair and just depends on your view of our system of civil courts and the doctrine of stare decisis.
Think of it this way; if the court agrees with you, then there is precedent set that implies corporations may not have liability under a set of circumstances similar to the ones described in this article. There are broader implications of the question that go beyond Apple.
CoderKat@lemm.ee 1 year ago
I think it’s a standard case of people suing the one who has money. Stalkers don’t have much (if any) money. Apple has much money. It’s a dumb lawsuit IMO, but there’s generally no penalty for frivolous or misplaced lawsuits (and this is probably on the border where it’s dumb but not frivolous).
Maeve@kbin.social 1 year ago
Are you serious? My ex brought in a grand on a short week.
possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 1 year ago
Apples “airtags” are proprietary
Maeve@kbin.social 1 year ago
As someone who’s ex kept me in misery for several years without one, I respectfully disagree.
guacupado@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It’s so dumb how people say “this community” and they it on every community. It’s not a specific community; it’s people in general.