A useful technology product always has two sides. Location trackers such as AirTag can help users find personal items such as keys, wallets, and luggage through the Internet through crowdsourcing. Conversely, such devices can also be misused for unidentified personal tracking.
Earlier, Apple and Google jointly submitted a proposed industry specification to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth location tracking devices for unknown tracking behavior. This first-of-its-kind specification will allow Bluetooth location tracking devices to work compatible with unauthorized tracking detection and alert systems across iOS and Android platforms. Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, eufy Security and Pebblebee have expressed support for the draft specification; the draft specification provides best practices and instructions for manufacturers who choose to build such functionality into their products.
Ron Huang, vice president of Apple Sensing and Connectivity, said that Apple introduced AirTag to give users peace of mind and know where to find their most important items. The company built the AirTag and Find It network, which includes a set of features that proactively block unwanted tracking, an industry first.
Apple will continue to improve to help ensure that this technology is used for its intended purpose. This new industry specification builds on AirTag protection and, through a partnership with Google, takes a critical step forward to help combat unwanted tracking on iOS and Android platforms.
Dave Burke, Google’s vice president of Android engineering, said that Bluetooth tracking devices bring great benefits to users, but they also bring risks of unidentified tracking, which requires the entire industry to take action to solve it. Android is deeply committed to protecting users and will continue to develop strong protections and work with industry to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices.
In addition to incorporating feedback from device manufacturers, input from various safety and advocacy groups was incorporated into the development of the specification.
The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) continues to advocate for the development of universal guidelines to protect survivors (and everyone) from the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices, said Erica Olsen, senior director of safety net programs at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). standard. This collaboration and the standards developed are a huge step forward. NNEDV is encouraged by this development. The new standard will minimize the chances of misuse of the technology and ease the burden on survivors when it comes to detecting unknown tracking devices. We are grateful for these efforts and look forward to continuing to work together to address unwanted tracking and abuse.
Alexandra Reeve Givens, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), said the draft specification is a welcome step in the fight against the harmful misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices. CDT continues to focus on ways to make these devices more vulnerable to detection and reduce the likelihood that they will be used to track people.
A key factor in reducing abuse is a common OS-level solution for detecting tracking devices made by different companies on the various smartphones people use every day. CDT commends Apple and Google for their collaboration and efforts to develop a common solution to improve detectability. Expect the specification to go through a standardization process and further participation in developing ways to reduce the risk of misuse of Bluetooth location tracking devices.
The specification has been submitted as an Internet Draft through the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), a leading standards-setting organization. Apple invites and encourages interested parties to review and comment on the draft over the next three months. After the comment period closes, Apple and Google will work together to process feedback and will announce a production implementation of the Unwanted Tracking Alerts specification by the end of 2023, with subsequent versions of iOS and Android supporting the specification.
(First image source: Apple)
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