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Google rolls out anti-stalking measures for AirTag and other Bluetooth trackers (www.engadget.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

28 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I do not think that somebody will track me with a physical tracker, but still nice to have some protection.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

My understanding is they’re a Bluetooth device that do not have direct Internet access on their own; how is their location being updated if you’re not pairing with them to allow them access to your device?

Apple allows them to connect to any device in the "Find My" network and phone home, regardless of who it belongs to. Presumably that includes you driving next to someone with an iPhone if the tag is in your car. It's supposed to also alert you f it's determined to be travelling with you and the owner is not nearby, but I think that requires you to also have an Apple device, or install and actively use Apple's Tracker Detect app for Android.

https://www.apple.com/airtag/#:~:text=How%20does%20it%20work

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ah, so very similar to what Amazon did with Sidewalk a few years back. I shocked people are ok with allowing this data through their devices. Sidewalk caused a massive backlash because of privacy and data rate concerns.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

it's a bit different, in that they're just constantly broadcasting a singular id, over and over. The "tracking" is the application on various devices which receive the broadcast and report it to Apple, along with that device's location.

Sidewalk was packing up actual user data and running it over your network, which has other implications.