Skechers unveils “Find My Skechers” sneakers with a hidden AirTag compartment under the insole for secure child tracking.
Skechers has introduced a collection of children’s shoes with a concealed compartment allowing parents to insert an Apple AirTag.
The compartment is accessible by lifting a tiny insert within the shoe’s heel. It is then possible for parents to monitor their child’s location, or at least their child’s shoes.
These shoes do not include an AirTag or appear to be a direct collaboration with Apple. Instead, they are a third-party product that Skechers has independently developed.
AppleInsider reported on the shoes on Wednesday, even though they were disclosed in mid-July to little press.
AirTags are exclusively advertised by Apple as products designed to monitor objects such as keys, wallets, or luggage, rather than individuals. However, parents have been employing the technology to monitor their children.
Bracelets, insoles, pendants, and even copycat Crocs Jibbitz are already available and compatible with AirTags.
AirTags are not intended to be particularly effective at monitoring objects in motion, such as a child on a school bus, which may be intentional.
AirTags lack a built-in GPS, unlike an iPhone with location sharing enabled. Instead, they employ Bluetooth beaconing technology to discreetly communicate their presence to Apple devices nearby, providing the AirTag’s proprietor with an approximate location.
Nevertheless, this technology can still be employed for nefarious purposes. A class action lawsuit was initiated due to the placement of AirTags in the bags or vehicles of individuals by unscrupulous individuals to monitor them.
Apple has implemented several anti-stalking features, including the ability to notify individuals via their iPhone or Apple Watch when an unfamiliar AirTag is traveling with them.
It is improbable that these shoes could be employed to surveil adults against their will, as Skechers exclusively produces this product in children’s sizes. However, the ongoing normalization of this type of surveillance could have implications that extend beyond childcare.
There is a possibility that Skechers or another shoe brand could develop comparable products that are specifically designed for individuals with conditions such as dementia, who may inadvertently wander away from their caregivers.
Although those applications may be well-meaning, these products could also be employed to monitor adults without their knowledge.