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Comment by mmh0000 | Hacker News Reader

1. This is so dumb. You can be tracked any number of ways. The AigTag with or without sound is the dumbest way to track someone.

2. Physically disabling the AirTag speaker is soooo easy. It took under 3 minutes to do it on the AirTag I hid on my motorcycle.

3. "An Apology" is more like a weird advertisement (I guess it worked, I read the stupid thing. But, in fairness, I've now blocked their site in a custom ublock filter, so hopefully I never stumble on it again).

4. They have expensive bikes... Why? Who cares? That's not relevant to anything!? Why did they put that in there? Was this written by a 4th grader? Fuck me. I wish I had just read more AI slop instead.

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What would be dumb is to not discontinue an unsafe product because there are more dangerous products out there.

Doesn't your phone still tell you that the AirTag has been following you?

I've heard one of the more significant concerns is escape from domestic abuse situations. In that case, people are often told to abandon their technology since it may be used to track them - but they might not know about the tracker tile/airtag hidden within a jacket.

I meant, the point of this AirTag noise disabler was to track stolen bikes and stuff. This doesn't help if the thief has a phone. Combined with what you're saying, sounds like this tool was only useful for domestic violence.

My Pixel 7 does, as well. My mother and I use AirTags to keep track of her vehicle and my dad's truck and wallet (he has dementia).

Yes.

The goal isn't to hide that someone is tracking them after they stole my motorcycle.

The goal was to make it ungodly difficult to actually find the AirTag hidden on the motorcycle.

Thanks, I get it now

You vastly overestimate the intelligence of most stalkers.

Do I? I don't think so... The thing with most criminals is that we only hear about the stupid ones that get caught.

Side note, AirTags are terrible for tracking someone, as noted everywhere else in this thread, they beep, they alert other phones, and you're giving control to Apple.

Here's one with no beeping or phone alerts for $18, cheaper than an AirTag:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG2D8FZ5

The intelligence of stalkers is an academic subject. Findings are fairly consistent (e.g., their mean IQ is about 10 points below average).

It's absolutely true that there are many ways to stalk somebody, most of them much better than an AirTag. It's just that the people who decide it is a good idea to stalk somebody usually aren't the brightest, so making the lowest-effort way to stalk people a bit harder will likely stop many of them.

1. There are a million ways to die. But that's no execute for companies to make products that could potentially kill people - in dumb ways. 2. "Easy" is subjective - something easy for one may not be so easy for others. 3. This guy blocked their site in a custom ublock filter... Why? Who cares? That's not relevant to anything!? Why did this guy put that in there? Was this written by a 4th grader? 4. Yea, go read more AI slop, good idea.

Nearly every product could "potentially kill people", including bottled water.

"Easy" is not subjective in this case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vAQNedIa0o

Pry and poke.

I think you missed my point on #4; it was sarcasm, which, to be fair, in our current world, sarcasm can't be discerned from truth, so that's my fault. To be clear, on #4: I do not want AI Slop. I do not want "apologies" as hidden advertisements. AI Slop would have been the lesser of two evils. Still evil.

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