Using an AirTag, a woman allegedly killed her boyfriend

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The first victim of AirTag stalking has been found dead.

An Indiana lady is said to have used an Apple AirTag to locate and kill her partner following a fight. Using AirTags appears to be directly responsible for this tragedy.

It was revealed in an affidavit acquired by USA Today that Gaylyn Morris, 26, said she used an AirTag to follow her lover, Andre Smith, 26, to an Indianapolis club. After finding Smith, Morris and the woman he was with got into a fight, with Morris apparently swinging an empty wine bottle at the woman.

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It was at this point that Morris got into her car, which was parked outside and allegedly clipped Smith with it. The pub owner then asked the three to leave. Morris “backed over Smith, then drew forward and smacked him a third time” after he was knocked unconscious.

In the aftermath of the accident, Smith was pronounced dead on the scene, while Morris was arrested for chasing after the lady Smith was with and fleeing from police.

Last year Morris was reportedly charged with murder, according to the Indianapolis Star(opens in new tab). There has never before been a death and murder charge tied to the usage of AirTags, as this is the first known case.

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To date, AirTags have been used by Apple customers to keep track of their belongings, such as a handbag, keychain, or bicycle. In the event that a tag affixed to an object is lost or stolen, AirTags can be used in conjunction with an iPhone to locate it.

Some stories, on the other hand, describe AirTags being used for more sinister objectives, such as tracking and later stalking of persons who aren’t aware they’re wearing or have an AirTag on their person.

Changes have been made to the AirTags to make them more secure and to thwart potential stalkers. AirTags will now notify users through Android app if they have been removed from their owners for less than three days, and if they have been separated for between eight and twenty-four hours, rather than the previous three days. An unpaired iPhone can now be alerted to an AirTag by a ringtone that has been increased recently.

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AirTags should only be used to monitor items, not people, as this incident shows, and more effort has to be done to ensure this does not happen again. It’s not obvious how Apple will be able to distinguish between the two. It appears as though eliminating the possibility that such technology could be misused is now an unsolved problem.

Even our editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer has stated that Apple AirTags are too dangerous to exist in their current form, therefore we’ve decided to put a halt on sales of them. As a precautionary measure, this is how to identify if an AirTag is following you about.

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