In the latest legislative effort to diminish AirTag stalking, HB672 has been submitted to Ohio House to address and criminalize using of electronic tags for tracking people without permission.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D) and Rep. Tom Patton (R), will "prohibit a person from knowingly installing a tracking device or application on another's property without the other person's consent."
According to Apple Insider, Apple's AirTag became controversial because it is an accessible way for some would-be stalkers to keep track of potential victims. This is despite of the various anti-stalking measures built into the device. Finally, Ohio took a step towards to make AirTag-based stalking illegal.
HB672 is the Answer to the Growing Problem of Remote Tracker Stalking
After 3News lobbied the government to take action, Ohio lawmakers decided to address the growing problem of remote tracker stalking, as per Engadget report.
In February, the news station reported on the loopholes in Ohio law that would've enabled such tracking to take place if there had not been any prior patterns of stalking behavior or domestic violence. Under this instance, it is possible for the perpetrator to go without penalty.
The investigation of the news outlet revealed that fewer than two dozen states have enacted laws against electronic tracking. Ohio is included in the group that has not drafted specific legislation against stalking behavior, said Engadget.
"This was an issue that I was not aware about, until you contacted us, and I'm so grateful that you were advocating for one of our constituents as she was very nervous, scared, and confused about the fact that someone could perpetuate such an offensive act against her," said Sykes, as cited by Apple Insider.
The Ohio representative also added that they are acting on the victim's behalf, and as well as others who have experienced these types of situations, or who may be subjected to them in the future.
Moreover, the report from Engadget stated that a recent report from Motherboard suggested that AirTag stalking isn't an issue limited to a few high-profile incidents.
3News requested for any records mentioning AirTags from a dozen US police departments and they got 150 reports. Fifty of those case cases involved women who thought someone was secretly using the device to track them.
Read Also: AirTag Stalking? Family Says Apple Device Tracked Them to Disney World
Apple Promises Additional Safety Measures
In February, Apple stated that it would carry out additional safety features to prevent AirTag stalking.
Later in the year, the company plans to add a precision finding feature. This will allow users of iPhone 11, 12 and 13 series devices to find their way to an unknown AirTag. The tool will display the direction of and distance to an unwanted AirTag, as per Engadget report.
Apple said that to notify people of potential stalkers earlier, it would also update its unwanted tracking alerts.
"AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person's property, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products," Apple said.
The company also stated that they design their products to provide a great experience, but also with safety and privacy in mind.
"Across Apple's hardware, software, and services teams, we're committed to listening to feedback," Apple further added.
Related Article: Apple AirTag Stalking Alert Sends False Alarms to Users' Iphones - Is It a Bug?
