Apple and Google are teaming up to thwart unwanted tracking through Bluetooth devices that were built to help people find lost keys, keep tabs on luggage, or locate other items that tend to be misplaced or lost.
The two companies behind the iPhone and the software that powers Android phones introduced the software on Tuesday an offer To set standards for combating covert surveillance on Apple AirTag trackers and similar gadgets. The concept also has the backing of Samsung, which sells most Android smartphones worldwide, as well as tracking AirTag-like products like Tile, Chipolo, and Pebblebee.
The $30 AirTag has become a popular item since its release in 2021, helping users locate a variety of lost possessions. But stalkers have also deployed AirTags and similar products to shadow former love interests and other people who don’t realize they’re being tracked.
“Bluetooth trackers have created enormous benefits for the user, but they also provide the potential for unwanted tracking, which requires industry-wide action to resolve,” said Dave Burke, Google’s vice president of engineering for Android.
Apple and AirTag hope to have a plan in place by the end of this year to thwart stealth tracking. The solution will be distributed through software updates on iPhone and Android phones.
Erica Olsen, senior director of the National Safety Net Project to End Domestic Violence, commended efforts to establish an industry standard that she believes will help protect survivors of abusive relationships and other people who have been targets of stealth technology. “These new standards will reduce the chances that this technology will be misused and reduce the burden on survivors in detecting unwanted trackers,” Olsen said.
Comments are closed.