this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2024
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They don't have to be connected to see your device. Just like how Find My Device works by searching for the Bluetooth signal. You'd need to have Bluetooth completely off, so no smart watches or headphones for you in the grocery store I guess.
Indeed! If Bluetooth is enabled on your device it will send beacon/polls and so be visible.
The recent "Find your offline devices" enhancement to Android's Find My Device app has made me wonder if having Bluetooth off is even enough?
Exactly, and this is additionally why it is predatory: you can't opt out.
It's similar to Facebook. If you never in your life ever created a profile, well, Facebook has one for you regardless.
The only way you can opt out of bluetooth beacons is to not bring your phone/smart watch/etc, or have either a hardware switch that disables your network functions or put it in a faraday cage. Also, because of data profiles and associations, if you're walking into a store with your partner, expect that your partner should do the same or else it's all moot. You're associated with your partner and thus tracking and profiling occurs anyway.
Add in the facial recognition technology they're also deploying and go to the next level of Dante; what do people's habits who look like "x" who are with people(kids, partners, friends) who buy "y" and don't buy "z"?