Apple, Google team up to address unwanted tracking of users with Bluetooth devices

Apple and Google have proposed a new tech standard to prevent the abuse of Bluetooth trackers like AirTags and Tile. 

The proposal would make Bluetooth tracking devices compatible with detection and alert systems in iOS and Android mobile software. This would give people a way to detect if they are being tracked by a Bluetooth device.

Bluetooth trackers are small location devices used to help people find lost items like keys or laptops. However, they have also been used by stalkers to secretly track people, including ex-partners. The proposed tech standard has been backed by Samsung, Tile, and others.

The proposal comes after AirTags, manufactured by Apple, were criticised for their potential use as a stalking tool. AirTags are small, coin-sized devices that can be attached to keys, wallets, or backpacks. When linked to a smartphone app, AirTags can help users locate their belongings in real-time. However, they can also be used to track the person carrying those items.

Unwanted surveillance is a common tactic of abuse, according to Erica Olsen, senior director of the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Olsen stated that it's important for advocates and technology companies to work together to minimize the opportunities for misuse of Bluetooth trackers.

If adopted as a standard, Bluetooth tracking device makers would have the option of building the detection and alert capabilities into their products. This would give users a way to detect if they are being tracked by a Bluetooth device and help prevent the abuse of these devices.

The proposal has been commended by the Center for Democracy and Technology, whose CEO Alexandra Reeve Givens stated that they "look forward to the specification moving through the standardization process." Apple and Google's collaboration on this proposal is seen as a critical step forward in combating unwanted tracking across iOS and Android.