...By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
Apple and Google have collaborated to establish standards for combating secret surveillance using devices such as Apple’s AirTags, Tile, and Pebblebee.
The companies have submitted a proposal to combat people who use these devices designed to locate lost items to track others.
In a San Francisco lawsuit filed in December, women were allegedly stalked by ex-partners who hid the devices in their belongings, including a car and a child’s backpack.
Apple has claimed that the AirTags are “stalker-proof,” but has acknowledged that “bad actors” have attempted to misuse them.
The AirTags use Bluetooth technology and can be easily attached to lost items like wallets, appearing on an app on the user’s smartphone.
Apple and Google have proposed an industry standard to thwart malicious tracking.
The companies have previously worked on their own solutions to the issue of unwanted tracking, such as warning iPhone users if an unknown AirTag is traveling with them.
A draft proposal suggests security upgrades that apply to all tracking devices would be delivered via regular software updates to Apple and Android smartphones.
The Internet Engineering Task Force is expected to receive the proposal later this year.
It is crucial to have standards in place to protect individuals from unwanted tracking, especially in cases of domestic violence or stalking.
As the use of tracking devices becomes more prevalent, the potential for misuse also increases.
The proposed industry standard will help protect individuals from malicious tracking and reduce the burden on survivors in detecting unwanted trackers, as noted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s Safety Net Project.
