Apple's bluetooth-powered AirTags can help you locate missing items, but they can also be used to secretly follow you.  Here's how to find and disable hidden trackers.  Unfortunately, they can be easily slipped in a bag or affixed on a car for the purpose of stalking.  Apple has released a number of AirTag updates to limit this possibility, as well as an app for android users that lets them manually search for rogue AirTags, but that doesn't change the fact that these tiny $30.00 trackers can still be used for nefarious ways.  In fact, Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit over this, which a judge allowed to move forward, finding that the plaintiffs had enough proof for their claims against apple for negligence and product liability.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Technology facilitated abuse is the use of any technological means to coerce, stalk, or harass another person.  According to the CDC's latest data, 16% of women and 3.7% of men have been victims of stalking in their lifetime.  Women between the age of 18 and 24 who are survivors of intimate partner violence are far more likely to be stalked.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Regularly inspect your belongings. AirTag and Tile Trackers are small, making them easy to hide. Here are some common places to look to make sure you're not being tracked:  Bags, luggage, and purses -  Take a few minutes to enpty your bag and pockets each day.  Check to make sure all the seams are in tact and you don't feel any awkward lumps or hard surfaces.  Trackers like the 'Tile Slim' are thin enough to be easily placed under the lining at the bottom of a bag where interfacing or foam are used to help it maintain its shape, making the tracker less noticeable.  If you carry a backpack or other bag with lots of side pockets, consider using iron-on hem tape to permanently seal them, or use inexpensive snap-style buttons to make them harder to open.  If you have a leather bag or simply don't want to deal with securing the side compartments, a dry cleaner can easily add snaps and sew pockets shut or even remove them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   If you're traveling, use an FAA-approved luggage lock and carefully check your bag and all of its contents when you leave and arrive.  Keep your luggage locked when you leave your room and check the pockets of any items you send out to be laundered or pressed.  Mail:  If you use a Post Office Box or rent a mailbox, open all of your mail before returning home.  Be especially cautious of boxes or unknown envelopes - as these can contain Bluetooth trackers.  Remove and inspect all the packaging material for boxes and, if possible, dispose of your trash before you leave the building.  Never leave the Post Office until you have checked and inspected all of your mail.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 In these situations, a stalker who may have an idea of your location can send a package via general delivery and it will arrive at your Post Office. If you wait, the person might be able to figure out your home address. If you ride a bike, take a moment to make sure a tracker hasn't been affixed to it.  Unfortunately, there are lots of places to hide trackers on cars, but its worth checking behind license plates, the opening between the hood and windshield, in the wheel wells, and along the underside of the front and rear bumpers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           How to search for Bluetooth Trackers:  If an AirTag is traveling with an unregistered person, it will begin to chirp. If you own an iphone with iOS 14.5 or later, you'll also get an alert on your phone. To make sure you get this, first make sure Airplane mode is NOT on.  Go to Settings>Privacy & Security>Location Services, and turn Location Service ON.  Then go to Settings>Privacy and Security>Location Services>System Services. Turn Significant Locations ON - to be notified when you arrive at a location like your home or office.  Now go to Settings>Bluetooth - and turn Bluetooth ON.  Open up the Find My App, tap the Me tab, and turn Tracking Notifications ON.  The AirTag will begin to chirp between 8 and 24 hours after the tracker is separated from its registered user.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              In our tests, it tends to happen sooner rather than later. If you tap your phone against the AirTag, you'll get its serial number and info on how to disable it. If you find an AirTag that doesn't belong to you and you don't own an iphone, you can tap it against any phones NFC reader to get the serial number and instructions on how to disable it. It's important to keep track of the serial number, since Apple works with law enforcement around the world to assist in cyberstalking cases. Apple also has a Tracking Detect App in the Google Play Store that allows you to manually search for AirTags using Android phones.One thing to be aware of though is that it will not issue a push allert and scans have to be initiated manually.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                For Tile devices, there is the Tile Scan and Secure feature on the Tile app. You can download and use the app without having a Tile Tracker. It takes 10 minutes to run and requires you to move around for an unspecified distance (the directions say that it shouldn't be limited to, say, just walking around your home). The Tile app will show an image of the type of device it finds and a reference id for it.  The Samsung Smart Thing app has an unknown tag search for the Galaxy Smart Tag - but it takes 24 hours of the tag being separated from the owner to work. Android users can use AirGuard to detect most Smart Trackers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   How to disable Bluetooth Trackers:  Again, AirTags are a little easier to deal with since you can tap them against your phone and get instructions on how to disable them. But if your phone doesn't have NFC, disabling an AirTag is still very simple. Just place the tracker between your fingers, rotate the back slightly to open it, and remove the battery. With the exception of the Tile Pro, it's impossible to remove the battery from the rest of the current Tile Trackers lineup. Don't attempt to break or crush the tracker, as the battery can burst and cause serious injuries. If you find a tracker with a non-removable battery, submerge it in water and take it to your local authorities or dispose of it far from your house. Tile trackers rely on Bluetooth's limited range and other users on the Tile Network to locate devices. If you find an unexpected Tile Tracker in your bag, you can significantly degrade its range by placing the tracker in a freezer bag or jar of water. After doing this, you can take it to the local authorities and file a police report, or simply dispose of it in a public garbage bin that's not near your house.