I was there to find out if there was a way to find and disable the Airtag without buying an Apple product. It turns out there is no way, you are literally forced to pay Apple money to get someone to stop stalking you. I found out because my ex sent me screenshots of the Airtag location using Apple’s app admitting to using it to track my location.

Apparently, this is not even enough for Apple or the aggressive employees that work there. Incredibly, this seems like a common occurrence and one they have used to exploit and funnel into getting people to buy more Apple products. The whole thing felt like a shakedown, and went from 0 to “I’ll call security” very fast. I maintained my calm and cool, but once she realized I wasn’t there to buy something, the situation quickly escalated.

It’s sinister and surreal, looking up at the floating glass staircase I couldn’t help feel like I was in the fortress of some kind of supervillain, a faceless corporation who has run out of ways to monetize, before I was quickly escorted out by an aggressive security guard.

Apple will gladly help you disable the tags (and sell you some of your own to perpetuate the cycle), but you’ll need the latest iDevice, and a subscription to iCloud with an active credit card on file to do it.