Digital Coercive Control: Towards Understanding Item Finder Misuse

In scenarios of domestic abuse, conventional understanding relies upon physical indicators such as bruising or broken bones. In an increasingly inter-connected digital world, perpetrators of intimate partner violence are finding continually evolving ways to leverage technological advantages against their victims without leaving a physical mark. Where one in three women worldwide experience some form of intimate partner violence, the rise of technology facilitated abuse means that abusers have increased access and control over their victims. This paper examines the threat potential for technology misuse as pertains to item finder devices that make up part of the internet-of-things. Item finders have increasingly become the weapon of choice for abusers engaging in digital coercive control, allowing them to remotely monitor the movements of their victims without needing to physically stalk them. We combine digital ethnography with a participant study, utilizing eighteen participants to evaluate the misuse potential of Apple AirTags, Chipolo One and Tile Sticker item finders. Our research shows a concerning lack of preventative measures imposed by device vendors and highlights how easily perpetrators can repurpose item finder devices as a mechanism for stalking. This suggests an urgent need for review regarding provision of guidance and support to victims of domestic abuse.