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☆ New York City files lawsuit blaming Hyundai, Kia for 'spiraling epidemic' of car thefts after 'Kia boys' viral TikTok thefts cause spike in stolen cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

New York City joins a growing list of cities and states taking legal action against Kia and Hyundai. New York City has joined a growing list of cities and states to take legal action against Hyundai and Kia. TikTokers have suggested a "hack" to get a Kia or Hyundai car started without the key. In New York City, the suit cited, Kia thefts increased about 241% between 2021 and 2022. Hyundai thefts similarly increased by 179%.

Persons: Kia, Kias, Louis, Hyundais, TikTokers Organizations: Kia, Hyundai, Morning, Progressive, European Union, America, New York Police Department, Mercedes, Apple Locations: York City, New York City, Cleveland, Milwaukee, San Diego, Columbus, St, Seattle, New York, Canada

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Uber wants to predict your habits, Apple and Google team up, and Lebron James eyes Complex Networks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

And minting it could be a solution to avert a major economic catastrophe (here's an explanation of the looming disaster, by the way). This average-looking coin could prevent job losses, steep cuts to retirement savings, and other major financial blows. Shopify employees and experts brace for shakeup. Multiple sources told Insider that his company, SpringHill Co., has internally discussed offering around $100 million to buy Complex from Buzzfeed. Google tells employees to limit publishing AI research.

19 of our favorite Amazon Pet Day dealsAmazon#1 Yaheetech Cat Tree - $66 $51 (with coupon)Wow, that's a lot of cat tree for your money. In our testing for the best dog beds, this was easily our favorite calming bed. Amazon#6 AirTag Breakaway Cat Collar - $12.99 $7.98If you fancy picking up some AirTags from the deal below, these affordable collars are a decent match as they have a disc slot for Apple's tracking device. ), be sure to head on over to our best cat collar guide. We named it the best dog harness because it's suitable for dogs that walk nicely on leash as well as vigorous pullers.

☆ Apple and Google are teaming up on a plan to make Bluetooth trackers like AirTags safer
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Apple and Google are working together on a new industry-wide effort to help limit the risk of Bluetooth devices like AirTags being used for unwanted tracking after a number of reports about these products enabling stalking. The companies announced a joint proposal on Tuesday for a new technical specification for manufacturers to build into future products. It would allow location-tracking devices to implement “unauthorized tracking detection and alerts” and work on both iOS and Android platforms. But soon after its launch, some experts warned that the devices could be used to track individuals without their consent. The issue of unwanted tracking also “existed long before AirTags came on the market,” Erica Olsen, director of the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, told CNN last year.

☆ Apple and Google team up to curb stalking and unwanted tracking enabled by AirTags and other Bluetooth devices
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Apple and Google released a proposal with software fixes to unwanted tracking by Bluetooth devices. The system would alert a user's phone if it detects a nearby tracker that has been separated from its owners device. Apple and Google are combining forces to stop the use of Bluetooth tracking devices like AirTags for stalking people without their consent. The two tech giants released a proposal Tuesday outlining standards to ensure products like the Apple AirTag and similar tech gadgets aren't misused for stalking and unwanted tracking. "These draft standards to allow detection of unwanted trackers is a significant step forward in the work to increase safety and privacy."

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Free Apple AirTags, EV resistance, and ChatGPT Plus for all
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I attended my first rodeo, woke up early for a farmers' market, visited different pickleball venues, and tried other new things. Researchers examined 1,600 conversations (850 hours and 7 million words total) and measured how people reacted to the interactions. Firstly, IRL conversations involve a degree of back-and-forth that is hard to replicate digitally because of lag and missed cues. Elon Musk pays $10,000 to settle a defamation lawsuit. Elon Musk has cut around 90% of the company within half a year of taking over.

☆ Apple and Google team up to stop unwanted AirTag tracking
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Apple and Google said on Tuesday that they were working together to prevent lost item trackers like Apple's AirTag from being used to track people without their permission. Apple's AirTag is intended to help people find lost items such as keys by displaying an item's nearly real-time location inside an iPhone app. In response, Apple previously built detection features into iPhones that allow users to detect unfamiliar AirTags in the user's area. Apple and Google said the features would be completed by the end of 2023 and then implemented "in future versions of iOS and Android." The change will also allow other lost item trackers, like those made by Samsung or Tile, to build similar iPhone and Android alert features.

☆ NYC to give out 500 Apple AirTags for residents to put in their cars to combat car theft
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Laura Ly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Some Kia, Hyundai, and Honda models are getting stolen in New York City so often that the Mayor is giving out Apple AirTags to help residents track their vehicles. The city plans to distribute 500 AirTags to residents to place in their cars to combat car thefts in target neighborhoods, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced at a press conference on Sunday. Adams made the announcement in a Bronx neighborhood that has seen over 200 car thefts this year alone – the highest of any precinct in the city. The Hyundai and Kia vehicles in question include the Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson, and the Kia Forte and Sportage, with 2015-2019 model years. So far this year, the NYPD has recorded thefts of 966 Kia and Hyundai cars – marking an increase of 819 cars since last year, Chell said.

☆ Eric Adams is handing out hundreds of free Apple AirTags in a bid to cut the number of auto thefts in New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday the city will hand out 500 free Apple AirTags to New York residents. New York will hand out hundreds of free Apple Air Tags in a bid to cut the number of auto thefts in New York, mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday. "The aggravated number of grand larceny autos continues to drive up crime in our city," Adams said at a press conference. "This simple device, this simple AirTag, hidden in a car location that a person is not aware of, is an excellent tracking device." In June last year, an Indiana woman tracked her boyfriend whom she suspected was cheating on her, using the tracking device, and then killed him.

☆ NYPD asks people to put Apple AirTags in their cars to help find stolen vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his police department have asked residents to help fight vehicle theft in the city by placing Apple AirTags in their cars. The New York City Police Department shared a video Sunday demonstrating how residents can use an AirTag to protect their vehicles. "AirTags in your car will help us recover your vehicle if it's stolen," the NYPD tweet said. "We'll use our drones, our StarChase technology & good old fashion police work to safely recover your stolen car. Adams said Sunday that AirTags are an "excellent" tracking device that he believes will help slow rates of car theft in the city.

☆ A pregnant former 'Love Island' contestant said she found an Apple AirTag in her bag and feared it was an attempt to stalk her
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former "Love Island" contestant said she found an AirTag that didn't belong to her in her bag. Brown, who appeared in the third UK season of "Love Island," eventually found the AirTag at the bottom of her bag and flushed it down the toilet. Brown didn't report the incident to police, explaining she was unaware if a law had been broken, while realizing flushing the AirTag down the toilet meant she didn't have any evidence. Apple AirTags are designed to help people keep track of their possessions such as keys or luggage, but have sometimes been misused. Apple was hit with two lawsuits in December from other women who said AirTags had been used to follow them.

At Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), a set of tire chains and a taxidermy rat landed in lost-and-found. The aptly named Lost and Found Software serves many U.S. and international airports as well as public transportation systems. Despite their differences, each provider promises to help customer service workers not only connect more lost items with their owners but to speed up returns as well. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines and others use NetTracer, which has been operating since 2004. Boomerang recently landed two airport customers: Savannah/Hilton Head (SAV) and New York’s Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR).

☆ The biggest security pros and cons of using Bluetooth GPS trackers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Kaitlin Balasaygun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Bluetooth tagging devices are catching on, and keeping an eye out on the world in ways never before possible. For pet owners, these GPS devices can be used as a cheaper alternative to microchipping your dog. Here are some basics to know about Bluetooth tags if you're using one already, or considering adding one to your tech-enabled life. "The problem with Bluetooth trackers … is there's no way to prevent a victim from being stalked by one of these devices because they don't control it. Two women recently filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple alleging lack of protections the AirTag has against stalking.

A chaotic travel experience for a United Airlines passenger ended this week after she used an Apple AirTag to help track down her lost luggage. “I’d just like everyone to know that @united has lost track of my bag and is lying about it," she tweeted Sunday. Out back by the dumpsters, I have found other emptied United Airlines bags." The delivery service, Couriers United LLC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. AirTags were used in tracking lost luggage before, when a woman used hers to track her luggage near an airline subcontractor’s home.

☆ Southwest's lost luggage chaos is a boon for Apple, as AirTags surge to the top of Amazon's bestseller list
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple AirTags are currently the #3 best-selling electronic on Amazon, up nine spots from two weeks ago. Google searches of "Apple air tags for luggage" have grown by more than 5,000% over the past year. Web searches of "Apple air tags for luggage" and similar related terms have grown by more than 5000% over the past year, according to Google Trends. Apple AirTags are currently listed as the third most popular electronic on Amazon, a nine-spot jump from two weeks ago. Some passengers who were anxious about lost bags have used AirTags to track down their belongings when the airline can't.

☆ A TikToker who 'consensually' doxxes people says it's easier than you'd think
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Today, I am introducing you to a viral phenomenon that certainly wasn't on my 2022 bingo card: "consensual doxxing." Meet a TikToker who's gone viral for her "consensual doxxing" content. But one TikToker has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers who want her to expose their secrets. Kristen uses her platform to "consensually dox" users and reveal their birthdays using just social media — and has become a data-privacy educator by proxy. Users are often shocked by how easy it is for her to find out their information, Kristen said.

Dec 6 (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has been sued by two women who said its AirTag devices have made it easier for their former partners and other stalkers to track down victims. The plaintiffs called AirTag "the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers," and said it has been linked to murders this year of women from Akron, Ohio and Indianapolis. One plaintiff in Monday's lawsuit, Lauren Hughes, said her former boyfriend learned where she had moved to avoid him after placing an AirTag in her car's wheel well. The other plaintiff, Jane Doe, said her estranged husband tracked her after putting an AirTag in their child's backpack. The case is Hughes et al v. Apple Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

☆ Apple sued by two women alleging their exes used AirTags to stalk them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Apple has been sued by two women who allege their previous romantic partners used the company’s AirTag devices to track their whereabouts, potentially putting their safety at risk. But soon after its launch, some experts warned that the devices could be used to track individuals without their consent. This isn’t the first time AirTags have allegedly been used for unwanted tracking. In June, a woman from Indiana allegedly used one to track and ultimately murder her boyfriend over an alleged affair, according to reports. Earlier this year, Apple added more safeguards to the AirTag to cut down on unwanted tracking.

☆ 2 women are suing Apple alleging that former partners hid AirTags in a car and a child's backpack and used the devices to stalk them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two women are suing Apple over its AirTag device, saying former partners used the trackers to stalk them. In the class-action suit, filed in San Francisco, one plaintiff says an AirTag was hidden in her car. In response, Apple has introduced updates since its 2021 release – when AirTags were reported by one outlet as being "stalker-proof." She could only get the device to beep once, before finding it hidden in the wheel well of her car. She then found an AirTag in the child's backpack and got rid of it – before it was replaced with another.

☆ Big Tech workers who've been laid off finally get a vacation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

For some laid-off tech workers, that thought isn't confined to just daydreams — some employees told us that since they've been laid off, they've taken the opportunity to finally go on vacation. In Big Tech, getting laid off can mean taking a fancy vacation. While the typical US worker receives little to no severance pay when they get laid off, firms like Facebook, Snap, and Twitter have been relatively generous. Some laid-off tech workers have racked up few years of sky-high pay, frequent bonuses, generous stock awards, and now, decent severance — so some are thinking, "why not travel?" See where other "freed" tech workers are headed.

☆ How to make sure your luggage doesn't get lost when flying, according to an airline executive
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Anne Wen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He says the best way to avoid lost baggage is to arrive early and not pack bulky items like coats. Seriously, an airline doesn't want to lose your baggage, and even though you may be more inconvenienced than the airline, it's too costly for us to deal with lost baggage. Here's my best advice for handling a lost bag and making sure you never have to worry about lost baggage again when flying. Then the airline doesn't scan it in time for TSA or the baggage handler to take the luggage to the airplane, and it gets lost. If it's not in baggage claim, the ticket counter is the second best area to go.

☆ An AirTag led police to a dumpster filled with more than 100 stolen Democratic campaign signs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An AirTag led police to a dumpster filled with more than 100 stolen campaign signs in Philadelphia. The Tredyffrin Township Police Department received numerous reports of stolen political signs. In a press release, the police department said it received numerous reports of stolen political signs from community members between Oct. 10 to Oct. 13. Police said a person whose signs were stolen told them that one of their signs had an AirTag attached to it which led officers to a commercial dumpster behind the Valley Fair Shopping Center where they discovered more than 100 signs. The Apple AirTag has been used to track campaign signs before: In April, a candidate in Florida used an AirTag to track a stolen campaign sign located in a Jeep parked outside the home of his political rival.

☆ An Uneasy Use for Apple’s AirTags: Tracking a Loved One With Dementia
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Julie Jargon | Photographs Caroline Yang For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Michelle Hirschboeck was looking for a way to keep track of her husband, Paul, who has dementia. Caregivers have turned to Apple tiny, $29 tracking devices after finding other methods of monitoring people with dementia aren’t a fit, or are too expensive. Many tracking apps require people to have their phones with them. People with dementia might forget them when they leave the house, say caregivers. They do tend to remember keys and wallets, however, to which the AirTags were designed to attach.

☆ Lufthansa says passengers can put activated AirTags in their checked luggage just days after banning them
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Lufthansa says activated AirTags are now allowed in checked luggage just days after banning them. "The German Aviation Authorities (Luftfahrtbundesamt) confirmed today, that they share our risk assessment, that tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk. On Saturday, the airline sent a tweet saying it was banning activated AirTags in checked luggage. This meant they would need to have their batteries removed before going into checked luggage, rendering the tags useless for tracking luggage. Some passengers started using AirTags during the summer of travel chaos where thousands of bags went missing or were lost entirely.

☆ A passenger only found out his lost luggage was in Amsterdam when a stranger messaged him on Facebook
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

He'd changed from a Turkish Airlines to a United Airlines flight in Schiphol. He ended his journey with an economy-class United Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Newark Liberty Airport, New Jersey, which arrived on August 28. Saith said that he then contacted United Airlines "immediately" by phone and using its online chat function. He said he also contacted Turkish Airlines by both email and Twitter direct message. The chaos has led to mounds of lost luggage swamping airports.

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