Apple and Google have joined forces on a new initiative to prevent Bluetooth location-tracking devices meant to find luggage and other easy-to-lose items from being misused on undesired tracking across iOS and Android platforms.
Ron Huang, vice president of Sensing and Connectivity at Apple, said the company's AirTag product was designed to help people keep track of important items, and although such items do help prevent unwanted tracking, a new industry specification will go even further and have the support of multiple manufacturers.
“Apple launched AirTag to give users the peace of mind knowing where to find their most important items,” Huang said in a release by Apple. “We built AirTag and the Find My network with a set of proactive features to discourage unwanted tracking — a first in the industry — and we continue to make improvements to help ensure the technology is being used as intended. This new industry specification builds upon the AirTag protections, and through collaboration with Google, results in a critical step forward to help combat unwanted tracking across iOS and Android.”
Apple and Google's jointly submitted proposal to prevent unwanted tracking is the first of its kind, and it would enable Bluetooth location-tracking devices to receive detections and alerts about unwanted tracking across iOS and Android platforms. Multiple other industry participants are looking favorably upon the proposed specification, including Samsung, Tile and Chipolo, the release said.
“Bluetooth trackers have created tremendous user benefits, but they also bring the potential of unwanted tracking, which requires industry-wide action to solve,” Dave Burke, Google’s vice president of engineering for Android, said. “Android has an unwavering commitment to protecting users, and will continue to develop strong safeguards and collaborate with the industry to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices.”
The proposed specification includes input from device manufacturers, as well as advocacy and safety groups.
“The National Network to End Domestic Violence has been advocating for universal standards to protect survivors — and all people — from the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices. This collaboration and the resulting standards are a significant step forward. NNEDV is encouraged by this progress,” Erica Olsen, the group's Safety Net Project senior director, said in the release. “These new standards will minimize opportunities for abuse of this technology and decrease the burden on survivors in detecting unwanted trackers. We are grateful for these efforts and look forward to continuing to work together to address unwanted tracking and misuse.”
Alexandra Reeve Givens, the Center for Democracy & Technology’s president and CEO, said the proposed specification "is a welcome step to confront harmful misuses of Bluetooth location trackers."
