All of the devices we use in our daily life, from smart watches to phones and tablets, have GPS technology. This technology allows parents to monitor their young children instantly and be aware of the steps they take. Location tracking, which is extremely useful in similar scenarios, can sometimes be used for malicious purposes.
With Apple’s object tracking device AirTag, we witness those who follow others without permission. Although the company emphasizes that AirTag is only produced to find lost items and that it is not right to follow up secretly, the number of such cases is unfortunately increasing day by day.
Stealth tracking with Apple Watch placed on car wheel
A man living in Nashville, the capital of the US state of Tennessee, secretly tracked his location with an Apple Watch attached to the wheel of his girlfriend’s car. While we often see AirTag being used in such events, 29-year-old Lawrence Welch made use of a smartwatch to show that the danger is not limited to object tracking devices.
According to the victim’s statement, Lawrence Welch had repeatedly threatened to kill him. Stating that she even applied to the family security center in the region to request protection, the woman said that she and her boyfriend used the Life360 application to follow each other, but removed it from her own device.
Lawrence Welch was called to the family safety center by the police. Welch, who came to the center after a while, moved towards his girlfriend’s car when he was supposed to go to the police, and it was noticed that he was approaching the tire in the front. When police officers examined the vehicle, they found an Apple Watch attached to the front wheel.
The man was arrested
As a result of their investigation, the police teams realized that the smart watch belonged to Lawrence Welch. Thereupon, Welch, who had been on trial for various assault charges in the past, was arrested. With the iOS 15.4 version released on March 15, Apple introduced innovations that will prevent private tracking with devices such as AirTag.
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