Yesterday I mentioned how urban criminals were beginning to use Apple AirTags to target vehicles they wanted to steal, or people they wanted to follow. They use the signal from the AirTag to locate the homes of the prey they've selected. I noted that those using Apple smartphones could locate AirTags near them, but Android users could not.
Reader paladin3001 commented on that post:
It appears that Apple has released an android app that can spot Air Tags. Just not available in Canada yet.
https://mobilesyrup.com/2021/12/13/you-can-now-scan-for-nearby-airtags-using-tracker-detect-apple/
I haven't tried that app myself, but if it works, I'd say it's probably a must-have for those of us living in areas where that sort of crime is growing more common. Thanks, paladin3001, for mentioning it. Very useful information.
Of course, AirTags are unlikely to remain the only hardware of their type on the market. I'm sure copycats will follow, using a different hardware and/or software architecture, so we'll need more apps to detect them too. It never ends . . . [sigh]. It doesn't say anything good about our society when an intrusive technology used by law enforcement and security services for decades, previously regulated by court orders and search warrants - and regarded with suspicion by almost everybody else - becomes a widely used and accepted means of locating and following things and/or people.
Peter
In Pennsylvania, 11% of the citizens have carry permits. In my county, that's closer to 15%. Across my state, roughly 60% of the people own firearms. In my county, more like 75%.
ReplyDeleteWe don't see much 'invasion' crime around here. In my township, we don't see much crime at all.
Some counties in PA about 1/2 have permits.
DeleteThere isa reason most of the rehabs are in the north central part of the state.
I prefer the John Moses Browning solution to hidden air tags.
ReplyDeleteA close second, is finding them, and putting them on police cars.