Pennsylvania wants to join states that punish Bluetooth stalkers

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania took a step Tuesday to become the latest state to punish someone for using a Bluetooth device to track someone without their consent.

The House of Representatives voted 199-1 to pass legislation that would make using a tracking device to secretly follow another person part of Pennsylvania’s anti-stalking laws. The crime would be punishable as a third-degree misdemeanor, or up to 90 days in jail.

The bill heads to the Senate, where a separate bill is pending that would make the crime a second-degree felony, or punishable by up to two years in prison.

Most states have a provision in state law that prohibits remote tracking, while others are adding this provision. Ohio is considering such legislation, Florida is increasing penalties for using such a device and Kentucky passed a new law last year.

Bluetooth-enabled devices from various technology giants or digital apps installed on a mobile phone can secretly track someone else’s movements.

The bill’s passage Tuesday comes a few weeks after a federal judge denied Apple’s motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging that the tech giant hasn’t done enough to prevent stalkers from using their AirTag devices. use devices to track victims.

Apple’s $29 AirTags have become popular items since their release in 2021, allowing users to monitor the location of everything from lost keys to wallets and luggage.

But stalkers have also abused AirTags and similar tracking devices, and dozens of plaintiffs sued Apple in 2022, alleging that AirTag users had stalked them. They said security features are inadequate and that Apple should have done more to protect victims after AirTags “revolutionized the scope, breadth and convenience of location-based stalking.”

Apple has condemned any malicious use of the product. The company argued in court that it has “taken proactive measures” to prevent abuse and that it should not be liable for damage caused by third parties.

Last year, Apple teamed up with Google to set standards to combat covert surveillance with tracking devices.