Apple AirTags, Tile trackers, and similar devices can be misused to secretly track children, ex-partners using shared family devices, or anyone the abuser wishes to monitor.
Bluetooth trackers like AirTags and Tiles are designed to help find lost items, but they can be planted on people without consent. This is a recognised form of stalking and a safeguarding concern, particularly in cases of domestic abuse, contentious separations, or grooming where a perpetrator wants to know a child's location.
Trackers are small, inexpensive, and can be hidden in school bags, coat linings, or vehicles. They use the wider device network (Apple's Find My, Google's Find My Device) to report location continuously, even when the owner is far away. Detection alerts have improved on iPhones but remain inconsistent on Android.
1. Install Tracker Detect on Android devices
Apple's free Tracker Detect app for Android scans for nearby AirTags. AirGuard is a community-built alternative that runs continuously. iPhones detect AirTags automatically but only after several hours of co-travel.
2. Teach children to check bags after visits with anyone they don't fully trust
Particularly important in custody disputes, after sleepovers, or following any contact with an estranged adult. A quick visual check of school bag linings, jacket pockets, and the bottom of rucksacks takes less than a minute.
3. Disable AirTag notifications only with full understanding
Some children mute notifications because they're annoying. Discuss why these alerts matter and how to investigate one calmly rather than ignoring it.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-19