Apple’s new Find My feature updated to prevent stalking as launch of the rumoured AirTags nears

• Apple’s latest in line of privacy features could be Item Safety Alerts which notifies you when an unknown tracker is found near you.
  
• The feature is currently available in iOS 14.5 beta, suggesting that we are drawing closer to the launch of Apple’s AirTags tracker.
  
• Item trackers use a ‘community’ of similar devices to broadcast their location even without internet.
  

Apple could be working on a new Find My feature to prevent stalking, according to a spotting in iOS 14.5 beta. The Find My app has been updated with a new safety feature that would automatically prevent unknown tracking devices from broadcasting your location details.

According to a report by 9to5Mac, the Item Safety Alerts feature will notify you if an unknown tracking device has been placed in your pocket or belongings, and is tracking your location. You will then be able to remove or disable the tracker to prevent it from stalking you.

It also looks like Apple wants you to keep this feature enabled. According to Apple blogger Benjamin Mayo, when you try to turn this feature off, the system warns you that the owner of an unknown item will be able to see your location and track you.


How do these item trackers work?

Item trackers like Tile, Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag, and the rumoured Apple AirTags are of the size of a small keychain. The intended use for these trackers is to make sure that you can track an item you own in case you lose it.

These item trackers use a ‘community’ of similar devices to continuously broadcast their location to the owner. This allows them to work even without internet, making them an excellent option and allowing them to work independently of your phone.

However, the downside of this is that a stalker can easily place one of these trackers in your pocket, bag or other belongings, making it extremely easy to track your movements. The fact that these trackers are tiny makes things even worse.

Apple’s new Item Safety Alerts feature is intended to alert you and prevent you from being stalked.

There have been incidents of people being stalked using these item trackers. For instance, a Houston woman was stalked and harassed by her ex who hid a Tile tracker in the console of her car.

SEE ALSO:

Apple to launch long-waited AirTags along with new iPad Pro in March, says report

Apple has reportedly begun producing a new product called AirTags that will help you track lost items with your iPhone

One of my favorite tech gadgets prevents me from ever losing my phone, wallet, or keys - and it only costs $35