Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating allegations that the Apple AirTag was designed and marketed without adequate safeguards to prevent stalking, unwanted tracking, and other forms of surveillance, potentially exposing individuals to serious safety risks and psychological harm.
Apple introduced AirTags in April 2021 as small Bluetooth-enabled tracking devices intended to help consumers locate personal belongings, including keys, bags, and other valuables.
AirTags use Apple’s Find My network to help users determine the location of items associated with their devices. However, lawsuits allege that these same tracking capabilities can be exploited by individuals seeking to monitor another person’s movements without their knowledge or consent.
Plaintiffs allege that Apple knew AirTags could be misused for stalking and harassment but failed to implement sufficiently effective safeguards to prevent unauthorized tracking or promptly alert individuals that an unfamiliar device was traveling with them.
One particular concern involves delays in unwanted-tracking notifications. In a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York, a plaintiff alleged that she did not receive an Apple tracking notification until approximately twelve hours after an AirTag began following her movements.
According to the plaintiff’s allegations, her former romantic partner concealed an AirTag on her vehicle despite an existing protective order. The plaintiff further alleged that the tracking caused severe anxiety, required medical treatment, and contributed to a hospitalization following a panic attack.
Other lawsuits similarly allege that AirTags have been used by former romantic partners or other individuals to monitor victims’ locations, allowing alleged stalkers to appear unexpectedly at places the victims visited.
These cases have been centralized in In re: Apple AirTag Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3199, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Migliaccio & Rathod is investigating whether individuals experienced unwanted tracking through an Apple AirTag and suffered emotional, psychological, physical, or financial harm as a result of allegedly inadequate safety safeguards.
Individuals May Have Experienced:
- Discovering an unfamiliar Apple AirTag hidden in or attached to their vehicle, bag, clothing, or personal belongings;
- Receiving delayed or ineffective notifications that an unknown AirTag was traveling with them;
- Being tracked by a former romantic partner, abusive partner, acquaintance, or another individual without their consent;
- Having an alleged stalker appear unexpectedly at locations they visited;
- Experiencing difficulty locating or disabling a concealed AirTag after receiving a tracking alert; or
- Suffering anxiety, fear, emotional distress, medical expenses, or other harm associated with unwanted tracking.
Potential Claims May Include:
- Defective product design;
- Failure to implement adequate anti-stalking safeguards;
- Failure to warn of foreseeable risks associated with unauthorized tracking;
- Negligence;
- Strict products liability;
- Misleading representations concerning product safety; or
- Other applicable consumer-protection and personal-injury claims.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- You discovered or received an alert concerning an unfamiliar Apple AirTag tracking your movements;
- You believe someone used an AirTag to monitor your location without your permission;
- You experienced a significant delay before receiving an unwanted-tracking notification;
- You had difficulty locating or disabling an AirTag used to track you;
- You experienced stalking, harassment, threats, or other safety concerns involving an AirTag; or
- You suffered emotional distress, medical expenses, or other harm and have relevant alerts, screenshots, police reports, or medical records.
If you have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call.