[quanto]

Whenever some AirTag news come up, I see the argument that GPS trackers had existed for a while, and they could be purchased readily through AliExpress. The argument implies that additional threat posed by the prevalence of AirTag is non-existent as the threat model had existed before.

This argument misses the point that to a non-technically-minded consumer, AirTag made stalking significantly easier not only on a technical ground (Apple's familiar UIUX), but also on an emotional ground -- Apple is an admired premium brand, and instead of buying some sketchy equipment from a no-name seller, one can walk into a pleasantly appointed Apple store and pick an AirTag on a coffee break. It makes the whole experience _feel_ more legitimate and kosher, if not pleasant.

Accessibility of a tool whether on technical, emotional, or legal grounds makes material difference in adoption and usage of said tool.

[axg11]

To be honest, I was always on the “AirTags are harmless” side until reading your perspective. You are probably right that making the UX so simple and coming from a trusted brand will enable many more people to misuse the technology.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to the question: is this harmful enough that we should regulate it? Answering that involves weighing the benefits against the harms.

AirTags have plenty of legitimate uses and benefits. Stories such as this article show a very real downside to the technology, but isolated stories are not a great way to make an evaluation. Doom, gloom and death will always make a more compelling story than a million people saving 5 minutes finding their keys.

[Schroedingersat]

Also there's a matter of the resources required.

A traditional tracker needs to provide its own location source and data connection.

Airtags recruit everyone with a smartphone to do the tracking without informed consent.

[Someone]

I wouldn’t call Samsung a no-name seller, and they introduced smart tags a few months before Apple (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_SmartTag, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirTag)

Also, I think Apple thought harder about this kind of problem than Samsung. They mad their tags beep every now and then because of that.

It doesn’t seem to be enough, though. I don’t see an easy way out of this. They could put a human in the loop when a user asks for a given AirTag too frequently, but that may not be enough, and would make some users unhappy because of the added friction.

[hdjjhhvvhga]

It's not just accessibility but Apple's enormous network that make the difference. When you use a "standard" tracking device, it is often quite bulky as it has to contain a GSM transceiver and the battery able to power it. Airtags, on the other hand, just use Bluetooth connecting to Find My network. That's an enormous difference. You can't buy such a device from Aliexpress.

[avindroth]

I agree with everything up until “A serious crime suddenly becomes a hip experience.” I think that’s taking it a bit too far (and demonizing Apple a bit).

[quanto]

Good feedback. Took out my hyperbole. Thank you. No intention to demonize Apple in any case.