“Keep AirTags Away From Children!” An Australian regulator has issued a warning to keep AirTags away from children over concerns about swallowing the battery. This comes almost two months after an Australian store pulled AirTags from its shelves over the same concern.
An Australian Regulator Issues an AirTags Warning
An Australian safety regulator, the ACCC, has issued a warning to parents, urging them to keep AirTags away from children for safety reasons. The primary reason for the warning is over the risk of children swallowing the battery inside AirTags.
The regulator’s warning comes almost two months after an Australian store pulled AirTags from its shelves over the same concern. Despite AirTags meeting child safety standards, two concerns have now been raised in Australia.
AirTags require a CR2032 battery in order to draw power. The CR2032 is the same lithium cell battery you’d find in other Bluetooth trackers and in watches. Child safety standards require these batteries to be kept under a push and twist mechanism, just like on medicine bottles.
Apple’s battery compartment on AirTags uses this type of mechanism, users need to push down on the silver backing and then twist it to remove the battery. The ACCC’s concern comes as it believes only a “very light push” is required to access the battery, which might be easier for children to open.
Are AirTags Dangerous Around Children?
Small batteries, such as the CR2032 type that AirTags use, are already an area of concern for the ACCC. As part of the warning, the regulatory body included its video on small batteries being a risk to young children.
According to the ACCC, roughly 20 children per week in Australia are taken to hospital after swallowing small batteries. The body explains that in the past eight years, three children died, and 44 were seriously injured as a result of swallowing small batteries.
The ACCC’s extra safety guidance around these types of batteries is beneficial, nobody wants children to swallow batteries. But specific guidance warning against AirTags seems particularly unnecessary when there is no guidance on any other Bluetooth tracker also using the CR2032 battery.
The AirTags’ push and twist safety measure isn’t the same as a medicine bottle, but it still prevents children from getting in unintentionally, especially if they’re unaware of the movement. You don’t need lots of force before opening up the AirTag, but enough so that it isn’t opened by mistake. Regardless, AirTags do meet the child safety standards.
No Need to Panic Over AirTags
The ACCC’s guidance on AirTags safety is over the battery inside, rather than the AirTag itself. With the AirTag meeting child safety standards, and the push and twist mechanism enough to fool a child, perhaps this is a bit too health and safety mad.