Are you being tracked while listening to a hot track?
These seemingly innocuous listening devices could double as “earbugs.” A techspert is warning employees to think twice about accepting AirPods at work because the boss could use them to snoop on their movements.
“AirPods can be tracked indirectly through, say, the work mobile or laptop, not necessarily Apple-branded, whose location an employer can access anyway,” Marc Porcar, who works at QR Code Generator, told the Digital Journal while describing this surreptitious surveillance.
Along with keeping tabs on employees’ extracurricular habits,’ they could also be used to spy on remote workers to see if they went to the bar at lunchtime or perhaps took a Louis Vuitton shopping detour while on assignment.
Employees should be suspicious of AirPods that arrive in a previously opened box or naked without packaging, per Porcar. Employers could’ve linked said Bluetooth to their personal laptop or other device and used this setup to, in the words of the Police, watch “every move you make.”
The digital whiz warns that while “AirPods do not have built-in GPS or cellular capabilities,” employers “can use the Find My network or an already paired device to estimate their [employees’] location, much like an AirTag,” the Daily Mail reported.
Unfortunately, these capabilities can be used to track both new and old AirPods models — although older models have less precise location technology, the expert warns.
To avoid getting bugged by the boss or other bad actors, Porcar advises removing the AirPods’ factory settings manually. First, place both earbuds in the charging case and close the lid, then wait for 30 seconds and reopen the lid.
Afterward, press the small reset button on the back of the case for 15 seconds until the light at the front flashes amber and then white. Voila, supervisor surveillance capabilities are no more.
The user can then link these auditory doohickies “with another non-work Apple ID using an iMac, iPhone or iPad,” per Porcar.
However, he urges AirPods enthusiasts to perform this function at a familiar location such as the office because employers will be able to see where they switched to another Apple ID (AKA they can see if you switched outside of a bar).
Users can also disable Find My AirPods through a paired iPhone or iPad by going to “Settings,” selecting the “Devices” tab, clicking on their AirPods and hitting “Remove This Device.”
If the AirPods were previously paired with a Mac, open the “Find My” app, go to the “Devices” tab and select the AirPods from the list on the left.
Then, navigate to the circled “i” in the right-hand panel and hit “Remove This Device” to disable its tracking.
And don’t think you can just shut down tracking by pairing the AirPods with a new device.
“Using AirPods with an Android phone or tablet does not prevent tracking if they remain linked to an Apple ID because they can still use the manufacturer’s network to be located,” Porcar cautioned.
Of course, disabling one’s tracking could arouse suspicion at the office — even if the move is justified.
As such, the best way to avoid being surveilled sans setting off alarm bells is to “keep your work AirPods at your usual place of work, whether that is at the office or at home,” per Porcar.
“Do not take them with you for non-work-related activities like a morning jog, a gym session or a quick drink after work,” he said. “This prevents many complications like theft and loss of company property, but, more importantly, it keeps you safe from uncomfortable encounters with your boss or anyone at work with access to company device management.”
