A seller on Etsy known for modifying Apple's AirTags, location trackers that connect to the company's Find My network, has demonstrated the ability to disable the device's speaker and warning notifications. Despite the profound benefits to having a precision tracker that's easy to use, people have already found ways to abuse the technology. From using AirTags to facilitate theft to tracking other people illegally, it's natural to wonder whether the positives are outweighed by the negatives. A potential modification to AirTags could be the tipping point in the privacy and safety debate.
To combat these privacy concerns, Apple implemented a series of software updates to protect users. When flaws in the software were uncovered — users reported not being notified of unknown AirTags moving with them for long periods of time — the company strengthened the detection speed. Even when Android users expressed concerns about not receiving the safety features that were critical to their privacy, Apple developed an Android app to detect unknown AirTags within range. Though these safety features help mitigate the risks that are presented with the widespread assimilation of personal trackers, they can all become inconsequential if hardware modifications are made.
The seller 'JTEE3D' on Etsy, with hundreds of confirmed sales making modifications to hardware, unveiled a 'Silent AirTag' on the seller's store that boasted a disconnected speaker and no warning notifications. The listing (now removed), which noted its unmodified exterior as a selling point, upsold the original product for the final price of $77.50. It was initially marketed as a solution to prevent thieves from discovering hidden AirTags in stolen items. The product was immediately met with resistance online, most vocally by Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "Any item that works for the purpose of catching a thief in this manner is also a perfect tool for stalking," Galperin said in a Tweet.
Seller Removes Product, Cites "Negative Consequences"
In the midst of an online frenzy, the seller removed the product. In a statement to PC Mag, JTEE3D clarified that the vast majority of sales were from a card-shaped AirTag modification, which trades the traditional puck-shaped form factor for a wallet-compatible oval. "Content with my ability to help people with genuine, positive uses, I listed the product without having considered the negative consequences," the seller emphasized in the statement. "While I believe there to be many positive uses for this product, there are some negatives, that I’m now aware of, that can’t be outweighed by any positive."
The removal of the listing is a victory for people hoping to deter criminals from using silent trackers, but even JTEE3D admitted that this won't be the last silent or stealth AirTag. There are others on Etsy currently offering similar modifications, and tutorials online claim to show a "DIY" method for disabling the speaker and warning notifications on AirTag trackers. "The AirTag is very easy to make 'silent,' either by electrical modification or simply muffling the noise with a clamping force," JTEE3D wrote. It's the latest — and arguably most alarming — development in the AirTag safety and privacy saga, leading to the question of whether it's all worth it?
Source: PC Mag, Eva Galperin/Twitter