AirTag Stalking Lawsuit Alleges Apple Ignored Problems With Unauthorized Tracking

Woman gave up her career in film and television after no one could find the AirTag device apparently being used to stalk her.

An Apple AirTag lawsuit claims a woman had to leave California and her career in film and television because no one could find the tracking device someone placed in her car, leaving her with extreme anxiety and fear over her unknown stalker.

Aine O’Neill filed the complaint (PDF) in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County on September 8, naming Apple Inc. as the sole defendant.

The lawsuit alleges Apple informed O’Neill that an AirTag was reporting her position, but neither the company, police nor auto mechanics were able to locate or turn off the device. Police warned her she was likely at risk, leaving O’Neill terrified for her safety.

Apple AirTag Stalking Concerns

AirTags are small Bluetooth tracking devices designed to help users locate keys, bags and other personal belongings. Introduced by Apple in April 2021, the devices use the company’s Find My network to relay their location back to the owner.

Rather than relying solely on GPS, an AirTag can communicate with nearby Apple devices, which anonymously transmit its approximate location through the Find My network. In populated areas, the large number of nearby Apple devices can make that location tracking highly precise.

Soon after AirTags were released, concerns emerged that the same technology could be misused to secretly track people. Because the devices are small, inexpensive and easy to conceal, they can be hidden inside vehicles, purses, luggage or other belongings without the target knowing they are being tracked.

AirTags have since been linked in lawsuits and police reports to stalking, domestic abuse, assaults and other violent incidents.

Apple now faces a growing number of AirTag stalking lawsuits, with plaintiffs alleging the company knew the devices were being misused by stalkers but failed to implement adequate safeguards. The claims point to more than 40,000 reports of suspicious AirTag tracking between 2021 and 2024, averaging roughly 1,000 reports per month.

AirTag Stalking Allegations

O’Neil, an Irish national, moved to California in 2020 to pursue what she describes as a lifelong goal of working as an actress and in film and television production.

According to the complaint, her phone alerted her in November 2022 that an unknown AirTag was traveling with her. O’Neil searched her purse and vehicle but could not locate the device.

She then contacted Apple, which allegedly confirmed that an AirTag was nearby but told her there was no way to disable it without physically locating the device.

O’Neil also contacted the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers allegedly told her they could not take further action unless the AirTag was found and warned that “there’s no way that this is anything other than sinister.”

She later took her vehicle to multiple mechanics, who were also able to confirm that an AirTag appeared to be nearby and likely hidden somewhere inside the car. However, the complaint indicates locating it would have required partially dismantling the vehicle, something O’Neil says she could not afford.

Unable to find or disable the tracker, O’Neil claims she began suffering severe anxiety, depression and recurring panic attacks, particularly when she was alone. She eventually sold the vehicle for scrap, abandoned her career in California and returned to Ireland.

“Ms. O’Neill remains devastated by her experience. Because of the terror and the uncertainty of her situation, the only option she could exercise to ensure her safety required that she turn her back on her career. While she is now 5,157 miles away from her unknown stalker, she is that same distance away from her lifelong dream.”

– Aine O’Neill v. Apple Inc.

The lawsuit alleges Apple was warned about the potential for AirTag abuse before the devices reached the market, but nevertheless downplayed the danger by describing stalking incidents as rare even as law enforcement reported increasing misuse.

O’Neil also claims Apple failed to make the devices harder to use for stalking or provide meaningful support to victims. According to the complaint, the company’s policies can make it difficult for victims to obtain information needed for restraining orders or criminal cases, while key tracking data may be deleted within weeks.

The lawsuit raises claims of negligence, design defect and violations of California consumer protection laws. O’Neil seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief requiring Apple to take additional steps to reduce the alleged public safety risks posed by AirTags.

AirTag Stalking Lawsuits

O’Neill’s complaint joins other AirTag stalking lawsuits in courts nationwide. Several plaintiffs have requested that the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) order the creation of an Apple AirTag MDL, or multidistrict litigation, placing all federal claims before one U.S. District Judge for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings. Apple has opposed the consolidation.

With litigation involving location-tracking devices expanding, lawyers are reviewing potential claims for individuals who allege they were secretly monitored through an Apple AirTag, Samsung SmartTag or similar product.

Apple AirTag lawyers are investigating claims nationwide involving allegations that tracking devices were improperly used for:

• Stalking
• Harassment
• Domestic violence
• Other criminal activity

Potential cases are being handled on a contingency fee basis, with no upfront legal fees or expenses. Attorneys are only paid if they obtain compensation for the individual.

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