Apple Updates Personal Safety User Guide, Addresses AirTag Safety Concerns

After a number of high-profile instances of AirTags being used to stalk people and property, Apple has updated its Personal Safety User Guide to add tips related to its item tracker, as spotted by 9to5Mac.

The guide lists the personal safety features that Apple builds into its products, including a new section on the AirTag, which has been reported on in the news after the tracking device was found being used to track people without their permission.

Apple confirmed to TechCrunch it updated the guide on Tuesday.

When AirTags first launched early last year, the number one concern echoed amongst privacy advocates was that stalkers could use the devices to surreptitiously follow and track people. To some degree, those concerns have manifested in the real world. There are already multiple alleged stalking cases involving AirTags reported in several nations.

In an effort to alleviate some of those concerns, Apple rolled out an update last summer that would make AirTags beep at a random time if it’s not near the owner’s phone for somewhere between 8 and 24 hours. Apple also introduced a new Tracker Detect app that lets Android users scan for any unwanted Find My-connected devices belonging to another person in a nearby area. So far, those have had mixed results.

The company says the guide is designed for those concerned with, or actually experiencing safety issues with the entire fleet of Apple devices. It is described as a “personal safety resource for anyone who is concerned about or experiencing technology-enabled abuse, stalking, or harassment.”

Users experiencing harassment or abuse can search the guide for step-by-step instructions on how to remove another person’s access to their information in addition to highlighting features that can be used to enhance one’s digital security. Though the guide doesn’t introduce new security features, it could serve as a useful resource for individuals who are unsure where to begin.

Check out the entire Personal Safety User Guide here.