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Comment by rolobio | Hacker News Reader

Tile does not have nearly the network that Apple does. I attached an AirTag to an electric scooter, which I ended up returning. I forgot to remove the AirTag; I've been able to track the scooter over hundreds of miles with quick updates (even driving down a freeway). I've been having a fun time checking in on the scooter for months now.

I have a Tile attached to a generator at my house. Since I've disabled Tile on my phone in favor of AirTag, my generator hasn't been detected in over 31 days. Even with neighbors walking past my house constantly.

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> I attached an AirTag to an electric scooter, which I ended up returning. I forgot to remove the AirTag; I've been able to track the scooter over hundreds of miles with quick updates (even driving down a freeway). I've been having a fun time checking in on the scooter for months now.

This describes how 99% of these "AirTags Used In Stalking Incident" stories come about.

Honestly I was worried I would have a knock at my door from this. The AirTag will make it quite clear who owns it.

But I expect someone familiar with returned items will say "Oh, someone forgot to remove their AirTag again. Throw it in the garbage." So hopefully no knocks at my door.

As far as I know there is no way to determine the owner of an AirTag.

A law enforcement request to apple should tell you everything you need to know and more about the owner of an airtag.

Source of Apple giving out AirTag info?

Source: Apple.

https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/law-enforcement-guidelin...

For government and law enforcement information requests, Apple complies with the laws pertaining to global entities that control our data and we provide details as legally required.

L. AirTag and Find My Network Accessory Program

To add AirTag or supported third-party products to the Items tab in the Find My app, customers must have an Apple ID, be signed into their iCloud account with Find My enabled, and register their AirTag or supported third-party products to their Apple ID.

With a serial number, Apple may be able to provide the paired account details in response to a subpoena or greater legal process.

Yes.

>Apple may be able to provide the paired account details in response to a subpoena or greater legal process

Source of them actually doing this?

No, just their stated public policy what they can do if requested.

That story alone is horrifying and a reason by itself this thing should be illegal. Also, what you are doing is not ok.

Should I drive over a thousand miles to pull it off? What do you expect me to do? I'm not sure what will happen if I disown it, it will probably attempt to be owned by whoever walks by? Can I disown an AirTag without being near it? And if someone who works for Fedex suddenly owns the AirTag, has the situation improved?

I really don't know what you expect me to do. I did this by accident. I thought it was funny.

You are being gross. You should disassociate the AirTag from your account.

You seem to insist that you forgot to take the AirTag off, and that leaving it on was an accident. Well, you now know that you didn't and, since you don't plan to retrieve it, shouldn't surveil it for your idle whimsey. If you sold your home and forgot to remove a few of your indoor cameras, is it okay for you to continue to monitoring the home? The answer is obviously no. What you're doing is not different.

Just because feds aren't knocking at your door doesn't mean what you're doing is not gross. I definitely wouldn't call it funny.

To be clear, it’s sitting at a FedEx facility. I’m not watching some new owner ride around on the thing. But since people are so offended, I’ll disown it.

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