Bluetooth-based location tracking devices like the AirTag are great for helping users find their personal items, but they can also be used for unwanted tracking of people. To prevent this misuse, Apple and Google have announced a collaboration to combat the issue.
Together, Apple and Google have proposed an industry standard to prevent the misuse of Bluetooth location tracking devices for unwanted tracking. The first specification of its kind enables the compatibility of Bluetooth location tracking devices with unauthorized location detection and warning notifications across iOS and Android platforms. Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, eufy Security, and Pebblebee have announced their support for the specification draft, which includes proven procedures and instructions for manufacturers who want to integrate these features into their products.
“Apple launched AirTag to give users peace of mind in finding their most important items,” says Ron Huang, Vice President of Sensing and Connectivity at Apple. “We equipped AirTag and the ‘Find My’ network with a range of proactive features to prevent unwanted tracking – a first for the industry – and we are continuing to improve to ensure that technology is used as intended. This new industry standard builds on the protection measures of AirTag and is a crucial step forward in combatting unwanted tracking across iOS and Android through collaboration with Google.”
“Bluetooth trackers have brought significant benefits to users, but they also have the potential for unwanted tracking, which can only be solved through cross-industry measures,” said Dave Burke, Vice President of Engineering for Android at Google. “Android is tirelessly committed to protecting users and will continue to develop strict protection measures and collaborate with the industry to combat the misuse of Bluetooth trackers.”
The specification has been submitted as a draft to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), a leading organization for standards development on the internet. Interested companies are invited and encouraged to review and comment on the specification over the next three months. After the comment period, Apple and Google will jointly address the feedback and release an implementation of the standard for unwanted tracking warning notifications in production by the end of 2023, which will be supported in future versions of iOS and Android.
In addition to device manufacturers’ feedback, contributions from various security and interest groups have been included in the standard’s development.