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…
Latest dossier · GPS Trackers · 6 min read
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. Here is the chain,…
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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…
GPS Trackers
Apple AirTag for luggage: airline sharing and what the FAA says
Apple lets you share a lost bag's AirTag location with a partner airline, but the location is approximate and the FAA tells travelers to check with the airline.
GPS Trackers
How to reset an AirTag, and what to do if it is locked to someone else
Apple's battery routine resets an AirTag in five rounds, but a locked tag still needs the previous owner. Here is what each step does and where it stops.
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.