Air Tags

[Mel]

Going on an aeroplane for a holiday ( I know ! 😲). Has anyone used an Air Tag in your suitcases in order to keep track of them?
Any good?
TIA

Edit. Just a thought, could you leave it in your Caravan and use it to track it if it was stolen if you didn’t have/want/ need for Insurance a built in Tracker
Mel

 

[JRT]

Going on an aeroplane for a holiday ( I know ! 😲). Has anyone used an Air Tag in your suitcases in order to keep track of them?
Any good?
TIA

Edit. Just a thought, could you leave it in your Caravan and use it to track it if it was stolen if you didn’t have/want/ need for Insurance a built in Tracker
Mel

Daughter uses them. They work very well.

You sometimes get a delay whilst they update their location but in general they are fine.

 

[trevormonty]

They work but probably won't help get your bag back if lost by airline. Just because you can tell airline which airport the bag is in won't change anything. Tracking will give vyou some idea if airline have found it and trying to get it back to you.

If somebody steals bags they'll probably empty contents and be gone before you track it down.

I'll found them useful around home. Have one in wallet and keyring, used few times to find these items.. The tag can also be used to find ph if in range, good if you don't have another device around to ring ph.
Worth having one on caravan as will help with recovery if stolen. Can be setup to alarm you if caravan moves.
ALso have one on our ebikes, successfully track wife on her commute home when her ph was off.

Tracking relies on another ph running tag app being within 10-50m range of tag. In case of stolen caravan may get odd gps update as another ph in car passes caravan. Once caravan is parked up in remote paddock updates are likely to stop. Unless thief or their friends have app on their ph in which case locating it will be easy.

 

[Jcloughie]

The Tags are very good. And do exactly what they say. They come for Apple and Android devices. I have Apple but saved money by buying ATUVOS.

They connect to Apple devices in the same way as Apple ones but don’t have the close proximity feature, which is no big thing.

If I still had the van, I would put one in. But use would be limited as the chances of there being an Apple phone close by when in storage would be rare. But it would still track if moved.

They would never be as good as a multi band tracker but the are a fraction of the cost and no subscription to pay.

I have one in the car, on both sets of keys, 3 cases, 2 bags.


John

 

[otherclive]

I understand that there may be a limit on lithium battery power/size for tags used on checked luggage. Above the limit the tag should be switched off, or battery removed. That came from my son when he was flying to Malaysia two years ago on Malaysian Airlines.

 

[Jcloughie]

I understand that there is a limit on lithium battery power/size for tags used on checked luggage. Above the limit the tag should be switched off, or battery removed. That came from my son when he was flying to Malaysia two years ago on Malaysian Airlines.

The FAA allow them, but individual Airlines may well have there own rules. We are off to Italy in a couple of weeks, will let you know. Family have recently been to Africa, Mexico, St Lucia Poland and Check Republic. Problem free.

CR 2032 coin batteries used.


John

 

[Sam Vimes]

Never really liked the privacy issues associated with AirTags, but pays your money etc.

I've flown around the world for more than 50 years and never lost a bag. Carried some equipment I would gladly have lost but it never happened.

Friends of ours travel quite a bit and have had quite a number of problems but always get their bags bag eventually.

 

[Jcloughie]

Never really liked the privacy issues associated with AirTags, but pays your money etc.

I've flown around the world for more than 50 years and never lost a bag. Carried some equipment I would gladly have lost but it never happened.

Friends of ours travel quite a bit and have had quite a number of problems but always get their bags bag eventually.

I have only heard of privacy issues related to improper use. ie, slipping one into someone’s pocket. Which is concerning. But I don’t think the owners privacy is at risk when used as intended. As per usual, I might be wrong.

John

 

[Sam Vimes]

The original issue was as you described.

The problem I have is that with much of this technology, intervention is required on the part of the user to set things up correctly. Usually the instructions and security are hopeless and many people just leave the default settings because its too complicated.

This is why the government was trying to introduce measures to make the Internet of Things more secure by default. Probably canned by now anyway as overtaken by events

 

[Milkfloat]

I own numerous Tags and use them on a variety of items. My caravan has two (one sacrificial one for the thieves to find). Each of my bicycles have them, my kayak, my kit bags and a few I have for floating use. Some of them I have removed the speaker so they won't beep in the thieves presence. I think they are great and now third party ones are very cheap (about £4 each) I see no reason not to have even more of them.

 

[Jcloughie]

The original issue was as you described.

The problem I have is that with much of this technology, intervention is required on the part of the user to set things up correctly. Usually the instructions and security are hopeless and many people just leave the default settings because its too complicated.

This is why the government was trying to introduce measures to make the Internet of Things more secure by default. Probably canned by now anyway as overtaken by events

These are very simple and basic things to set up. So far as I am aware, regarding the Apple version, the only change that has been made is a warning in the instructions. However, a new version is under test.

With newer iPhones, people being ‘stalked’ by an air tag will receive a warning. If they click on the warning, they can make the AirTag beep so they can find it.

I have no idea if other tags, like Tile, Autuvos or Android do similar.

John

 

[trevormonty]

The original issue was as you described.

The problem I have is that with much of this technology, intervention is required on the part of the user to set things up correctly. Usually the instructions and security are hopeless and many people just leave the default settings because its too complicated.

With most electronic devices these days best setup procedure is ignore instructions and refer to Youtube.

 

[Sam Vimes]

YouTube can be a good source of information but equally it can be completely wrong or misleading.

Like a lot of information on the Interweb caution is needed. One source gets it wrong then that's copied across various other sources. Then the belief is that because so many sources say it is so, it must be right.

The use of AI, is making it harder in my opinion, to believe in anything you might read on web.

 

[Buckman]

I thought there was an issue with them that caused them to drop out of favour. Apparently people up to no good were somehow able to track the location of these air tags? I am unsure, but don't like the idea of them invading my privacy. Like Sam we have never lost a bag and we have flown to destinations known for pilfering. We wrap up our luggage in cling film.

However each to their own if they like spending money on air tags. By the way if you use an air tag to track a missing item, would you. confront the thief or thieves?

 

[Jcloughie]

Most of us already use trackers. Smart phones are their own more sophisticated tracker. There are cases of the police using them to track thief's who have stolen one. I remember one on the news where a car was stolen which had a phone in it. The police successfully tracked it.

Regards privacy. I can see how this is a concern when it comes to stalking. They could also be used if planted on a person to track when they are away.

But tags are individual to the owner. So present no danger when used as intended.

I do not worry about unscrupulous people planting one on me. First because I cannot imagine anyone would want to stalk me, and second, I have little of high value robberble things which might be of interest.

My wife feels uneasy that I can track her on her phone, and using the tag on her keys. I keep showing her how she can disable them if she desires privacy. But I feel the extra security offered outweighs this. And she can track me as well of course. We can also track the extended family which has been useful in the past.


John

 

[JRT]

I thought there was an issue with them that caused them to drop out of favour. Apparently people up to no good were somehow able to track the location of these air tags? I am unsure, but don't like the idea of them invading my privacy. Like Sam we have never lost a bag and we have flown to destinations known for pilfering. We wrap up our luggage in cling film.

However each to their own if they like spending money on air tags. By the way if you use an air tag to track a missing item, would you. confront the thief or thieves?

I think they may have cracked down on that. Daughter has one in our granddaughters school bag which was forever getting left somewhere. It is somehow locked to her iPhone and her iPhone only. She can't even share the tag location with our son in law.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Privacy concerns go beyond just being stalked or tracked. It's also about how much personal information is being sucked up by the likes of Apple, Google, MS, Meta, X and plenty others.

 

[JRT]

Privacy concerns go beyond just being stalked or tracked. It's also about how much personal information is being sucked up by the likes of Apple, Google, MS, Meta, X and plenty others.

Indeed, that includes store loyalty and reward cards too.

 

[Jcloughie]

Privacy concerns go beyond just being stalked or tracked. It's also about how much personal information is being sucked up by the likes of Apple, Google, MS, Meta, X and plenty others.

In what way? In order to operate a tag needs to be linked to a phone. The tag itself holds no data. All registration is done via the phone account.

Your concern could be alleviated by avoiding phone accounts, TV, stores, bank etc, etc. Completely. Tags are not the problem for this.

Generally speaking, the law provides reasonable protection and is regularly tightened. In my opinion, you either select trusted businesses to use or log out of society.

The Profs recent topic showed an instance where things have gone wrong. I have had three instances of my bank card being possibly misused. One on a telephone transaction with America, one when a French garage took my money twice in less than 1 second and the other when my card was stolen. In all cases, the bank, Barclays and Tesco. Prevented any payment. I was very impressed.

John

 

[otherclive]

Indeed, that includes store loyalty and reward cards too.

Your phone is being tracked continuously and my car keeps a log of data relating to journeys. I can access it via an app, but it will also be collecting far more.information than I can see. How many drivers set their infotainment system to valet mode when having the car serviced? This article from Mozilla scopes the reality of the modern age.

‘Privacy Nightmare on Wheels’: Every Car Brand Reviewed By Mozilla — Including Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota — Flunks Privacy Test

Mozilla’s latest edition of *Privacy Not Included reveals how 25 major car brands collect and share deeply personal data, including sexual activity, facial expressions, and genetic and health information.

foundation.mozilla.org

 

[Sam Vimes]

We are tracked most of the time but I do my best to minimise the amount of personal information that these companies hold on me. Its not perfect but its the best I can do. So I don't want anything that adds to the possibility of passing over more data. Air tags may well contain no data but in order to communicate with you they have to go through Apple servers, which no doubt syphon off location data of your lost luggage or caravan and just more info about your phone and what it contains.

My phone runs Android and I have a number of gmail accounts as throw aways so I asked for what data Google had on me - virtually nothing and nothing that could identify me. This is because I go through all the settings and turn off as much as I can that tracks me. I also use fictious names and if required bogus addresses and birth dates.

I don't subscribe to the usual Anti Social Media.

I have Privacy Blockers and Adblockers on my Web Browser.

Just because I'm paranoid it doesn't mean they're not out to get me.

 

[JRT]

Your phone is being tracked continuously and my car keeps a log of data relating to journeys. I can access it via an app, but it will also be collecting far more.information than I can see. How many drivers set their infotainment system to valet mode when having the car serviced? This article from Mozilla scopes the reality of the modern age.

‘Privacy Nightmare on Wheels’: Every Car Brand Reviewed By Mozilla — Including Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota — Flunks Privacy Test

Mozilla’s latest edition of *Privacy Not Included reveals how 25 major car brands collect and share deeply personal data, including sexual activity, facial expressions, and genetic and health information.

foundation.mozilla.org

Yes, I agree. These things don't worry me personally at all, it's a part of modern life. In fact the ability to show my whereabouts using my Google timeline has in the past proved useful on more than one occasion.

My first experience of this was a number of years back when I first had a Nectar Card. When I created a nectar on line account I could bring up everything I had previously bought when I had also scanned my Nectar card.

I don't think it does that anymore but it's pretty obvious sometimes 'special offers' are tailored using what Sainsbury's know about previous purchase. Same as Tesco's Clubcard and others.

 

[Beardy]

I think they are great and now third party ones are very cheap (about £4 each)

Can you post a link to them please?

 

[Buckman]

We are tracked most of the time but I do my best to minimise the amount of personal information that these companies hold on me. Its not perfect but its the best I can do. So I don't want anything that adds to the possibility of passing over more data. Air tags may well contain no data but in order to communicate with you they have to go through Apple servers, which no doubt syphon off location data of your lost luggage or caravan and just more info about your phone and what it contains.

My phone runs Android and I have a number of gmail accounts as throw aways so I asked for what data Google had on me - virtually nothing and nothing that could identify me. This is because I go through all the settings and turn off as much as I can that tracks me. I also use fictious names and if required bogus addresses and birth dates.

I don't subscribe to the usual Anti Social Media.

I have Privacy Blockers and Adblockers on my Web Browser.

Just because I'm paranoid it doesn't mean they're not out to get me.

The air tag will pass on the data of your location which includes shops you visit etc. The next thing you are being bombarded with adverts for other shops selling similar stuff to the shop you visited!

No thanks as it is bad enough at present being constantly tracked and your personal shopping habits being identified. In addition, it will pass on the data that you have left your home and possibility no one at home.

 

[JRT]

In addition, it will pass on the data that you have left your home and possibility no one at home.

And if that was even true what do you imagine would be the consequences of that?

I guess then that each time I set our Ring alarm to 'away' I should worry somebody from Amazon is going to come round and rob me?

I really think there needs to be a sense of perspective kept here.