AirTag Stalking would be Illegal in Ohio Under Proposed Legislation

Many states lack legislation geared specifically at remote trackers.

A bill has been introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives to make it illegal to use electronic tags to follow people without their knowledge, the latest move to stop AirTag stalking. Despite the multiple anti-stalking features built into the gadget, Apple's AirTag has sparked controversy by being an accessible means for some would-be stalkers to keep track of potential victims. Ohio took a step toward making stalking with an AirTag device illegal on Friday. Bill HB672 was introduced in the Ohio House to change section 2903.211 of the Revised Code to make it illegal to "knowingly install a tracking device or application on another person's property without that person's consent." A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers has sponsored legislation to make AirTag stalking illegal. HB672 would "prohibit a person from knowingly putting a tracking device or application on another's property without the other person's consent" if passed by the state legislature. After 3News pressed the government to act, Ohio lawmakers opted to address the rising problem of remote tracker stalking. The news station discovered a gap in state law in February that allows someone with no prior history of stalking or domestic violence to track someone without fear of being prosecuted. According to a study by the publication, fewer than two dozen states have passed laws prohibiting electronic tracking, with Ohio being one of the states that has yet to do so. According to a recent Motherboard piece, AirTag stalking isn't only a problem with a few high-profile cases. The site received 150 reports after asking a dozen US police departments for any documents mentioning AirTags. 50 of them involved women who believed the gadget was being used to follow them discreetly. Apple announced in February that it would add further security capabilities to AirTag to avoid stalking. Later this year, Apple plans to release a precision finding capability for iPhone 11, 12, and 13 series smartphones that will allow users to locate an unknown AirTag. The program will show the distance and direction of an undesired AirTag. Apple also said that it would upgrade its unwanted tracking warnings to warn consumers about potential stalkers sooner. "AirTag was created to help individuals find their personal things, not to track people or other people's property," the business declared at the time. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our devices." "We develop our products to deliver a wonderful experience while simultaneously considering security and privacy." We're committed to listening to input across Apple's hardware, software, and services organizations."