GPS Trackers
How to set up an AirTag with an iPhone, step by step
Setting up an AirTag takes a few taps once the iPhone is ready. This walk-through follows Apple's instructions, from the software version you need to the checklist for…
Latest dossier · Counter-Surveillance & Privacy Law · 6 min read
Putting an AirTag or tracker on someone else’s car: what the law says and what to do if you are targeted
Placing a tracker on a car you do not own or lease can break stalking and tracking laws. This article reads the federal statute and two state laws, then covers what to…
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GPS Trackers
How an AirTag works: the Find My network, Bluetooth and what Apple says it stores
An AirTag does not report its own position. Nearby Apple devices relay it over Bluetooth, and the location is encrypted so that only the owner can read it.…
Family & Pet Monitoring
AirTag and coin cell battery safety: what to do if a child swallows one
A coin cell battery like the CR2032 in an AirTag can cause serious burns in as little as two hours. This page covers who to call, the honey…
GPS Trackers
Tile vs AirTag vs SmartTag: which tracker works when you switch phones
Tile lists both iPhone and Android on its own support pages, AirTag is documented for iPhone and iPad, and SmartTag2 for Galaxy phones. Here is how that plays…
Hidden Cameras & Nanny Cams
Hidden camera apps: what your phone’s sensors can actually detect
A phone's own hardware can sense far less than hidden camera app listings suggest. Here is what the magnetometer, Wi-Fi radio and time-of-flight sensor can and cannot do,…
GPS Trackers
AirTag for Android: what works, what does not, and what to do if you find one
An Android phone cannot add or locate an AirTag, but it can warn you about one and read it by NFC. This guide covers what Apple and Google…
GPS Trackers
Samsung Find My Device and Google Find Hub: what the names mean and how to set up
Google renamed Find My Device to Find Hub, and Samsung runs its own locator. Here is how the two differ, how to switch Find Hub on, and what…
Counter-Surveillance & Privacy Law
How to tell if your phone is being tracked, and what to do first
Phone stalkerware is built to hide, and removing it can alert the person watching you. Here are the signs, the checks, and the order to do things in.
GPS Trackers
Samsung SmartTag2 vs Apple AirTag: specs side by side
The Galaxy SmartTag2 and the AirTag share a battery type and an IP67 rating, but each works with its own maker's phones. Here are the specs both companies…
Quick answers
Is it legal to record audio of someone without telling them?
It depends on the state. Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d)) allows a recording when one party to the conversation consents, and many states follow that rule. Others, California among them (Penal Code § 632), require every party to agree. Recording a conversation you are not part of is a separate and much riskier question.
Can I put a camera in my own home if a housekeeper or nanny works there?
Video of the common areas of your own home is generally allowed, and audio recording and private spaces such as bathrooms change the answer. Our guide to cameras and household workers walks through the cases. Housekeepers and cameras.
Can I record my roommate in a dorm room?
Recording a roommate in a shared bedroom without their knowledge is unlawful in nearly every state, whoever signed the housing form. A camera aimed at your own desk is a different situation. Dorm room camera rules.
Is it legal to put a GPS tracker on a car?
Tracking a vehicle you own, or one the owner has agreed you may track, is the safe case. Putting a tracker on someone else's car without their consent can be stalking or a privacy offense in many states, and state statutes vary. Magnetic vs hardwired GPS trackers.
Does TrueSpyTech test the devices it writes about?
No. We do not run a test lab. We read manufacturer specifications and the relevant laws, then weigh them against what owners report. The method is described on our evaluation page. How we evaluate.
Statutes cited: 18 U.S.C. § 2511, California Penal Code § 632. General information, not legal advice.