A national investigation is being called in response to Apple’s decision to disable its “Find My” feature exclusively in South Korea, following a petition signed by nearly 5,000 citizens demanding answers.
According to the National Assembly’s petition board, a petition titled “Petition Regarding Apple’s Unexplained and Unfair Discrimination in the Find My Service” had garnered 4,600 signatures by 3 PM yesterday. This signature surge came just three days after the petition was registered on Monday.
The petitioner explained that when thieves send phishing messages to unlock stolen iPhones and attempt to sell them as unlocked devices, victims often have no way to take action. They emphasized that the societal costs associated with this issue far exceed the mere value of the lost device.
If a petition receives 50,000 signatures within 30 days of being posted on the official website, it will be forwarded to the relevant committee in the National Assembly.
Given that Apple’s Find My feature has become a topic of discussion in the National Assembly, some believe that even if the petition does not reach 50,000 signatures, the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information, and Broadcasting Committee should summon Apple representatives to initiate an investigation. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a key issue during the National Audit or the Minister of Science and ICT confirmation hearing, Lee Sang Im.
The Find My feature allows users to track the location of Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, Macs, and AirPods. Users can view their devices’ current location on a map and receive notifications when their location changes. This feature is handy when locating a device that has been lost nearby.
However, Apple does not provide this feature solely in South Korea. The service is limited to only locating devices within Bluetooth range, and users cannot track devices online. While users can utilize the “Location Sharing” feature on iPhones purchased abroad, this feature is blocked on iPhones released in South Korea. It’s worth noting that certain areas, such as Baengnyeongdo, Ulleungdo, and Dokdo, reportedly have proper support for the service. Apple has not clarified why the Find My feature is unavailable in South Korea, leading to increased user dissatisfaction.
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