Tracking tags are extremely useful and functional accessories. They basically allow you to know the location of whatever you’ve attached them to. However, there are potential risks associated with this. For example, a stalker could try to plant a tag to track a person’s location. Google has implemented a couple of extra protections against tracking via tags in Android.
These devices were designed to help you find something you often lose (like a keychain) or that’s been stolen, among other things. This means that there are fairly discreet tags, which can make it difficult to realize that you’re carrying one with you if a third party has attached it to you in some way. Bad actors could use items such as your bag or even your car to plant a tag.
Android’s Find My Device gets extra anti-stalker tag protections
Major names in the industry noticed the underlying risks of the tags and teamed up to develop unknown tracker alerts. These alerts notify you of unusual trackers accompanying you. Now, as spotted by Android Authority, Google is integrating the “Temporarily Pausing Location” and “Find Nearby” options in Find My Device as extra protection against these tags.
As its name suggests, “Temporarily Pausing Location” will prevent the tag from continuing to record your location for a period of 24 hours. If you receive an unknown tracker alert, you’ll have some time to try to find it without the other person continuing to receive your location data. It’s important to note that you cannot disable tags until you find them and manually start the process.
On the other hand, “Find Nearby” will help you find the tag in question by showing you the most accurate location possible. This option is even more useful for tags and devices with UWB support. This technology greatly reduces the margin of error when tracking. You can also use Find Nearby with Bluetooth, although the directions won’t be as accurate.
Google is rolling out the new protections against tracking tags through Google Play Services. That means it doesn’t require a modern version of Android or firmware updates on the tags. In fact, the options will be available on devices running Android 6 and above.
Unknown tracker alerts are now faster and more frequent
Last but not least, Google has implemented “technology improvements” to the alerts for unknown trackers. If someone is tracking you, the alerts should now reach you faster and more frequently. This should give users a little more peace of mind, knowing that they will have faster access to this kind of information.
Especially given the danger a situation like this could pose to the person being tracked.