COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – The Ohio Statehouse passed a bill last week that would criminalize using an electronic device to track someone without their consent.
Senate Bill 100, sponsored by Sens. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), would prohibit residents from using technology to track someone without their permission. This includes devices and apps such as Apple AirTags or Life360. Currently, in Ohio, putting a tracker on someone’s personal property is not its own crime.
“Oftentimes, victims of domestic violence, their whereabouts are being tracked unknowingly by their perpetrator,” Antonio said. “I do believe that not only have we created a [bill] that’s going to further protect potential victims of domestic violence. … I also believe that this bill can actually save lives.”
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Antonio said she was inspired to sponsor the bill after a resident brought a stalking incident to her attention, where a woman discovered someone was tracking her after finding a device in her car. When the woman told police about it, they said there was nothing they could do because there is no law prohibiting such behavior, according to Antonio…