INDIANAPOLIS — Apple is facing a class action lawsuit over its AirTag devices allegedly being used to stalk people. An Indiana murder case is cited in the lawsuit.
AirTags are supposed to be attached to personal property to help users locate items that are misplaced, but the class action federal lawsuit filed in San Francisco claims: “What separates the AirTag from any competitor product is its unparalleled accuracy, ease of use (it fits seamlessly into Apple’s existing suite of products), and affordability. With a price point of just $29, it has become the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers.”
The suit mentions an Indianapolis murder case from this summer.
Gaylyn Morris admitted to police in court records that she put an AirTag in her boyfriend's car on June 3, tracked him to Tilly’s Pub and Grill on the northeast side, caught him cheating and ran over him with her car, killing him. She is in jail awaiting a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 9.
In Indiana, tracking someone with an electronic device without their consent is legal, as long as you don't trespass to plant the device.
"Regardless of the legality or not, people will still use it for unintended purposes, for bad purposes,” said Doug Kouns, CEO of Veracity Intelligence, Investigation, and Research. “I really think it would be a good idea to make it illegal by the general public to do these things."
Kouns is a former FBI agent and is now a private investigator. He wants this kind of tracking limited to licensed private investigators and law enforcement, and people tracking their own property, not people.
"As long as you have a permissible use, I think it's a valuable tool that can keep people safe,” said Kouns. “They can keep things from being stolen."
As safeguards, iPhone users receive a notification when an unknown AirTag is in their vicinity. And an AirTag will beep when away from its owner for an extended time.
"The problem is when someone wants to use that for illegal purposes, to harass an ex or cause harm, or to steal things, it becomes a problem,” said Kouns.
Kouns would like to be involved in helping state lawmakers craft legislation for Indiana that already exists in other states limiting the use of tracking devices.