This week, Google and Apple submitted a draft industry specification to stop unauthorised location tracking.
The programme targets peripherals that have built-in location-tracking features, use Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) as the transmission protocol, and are small enough to be challenging to find, such as Apple's AirTag product.
The document suggests a list of best practises and protocols that producers of such accessories should adhere to in order to make sure that their products are compatible with mobile device warnings and detection for unauthorised tracking.
The initiative, the tech giants say, is meant to protect the privacy of individuals from unwanted tracking for nefarious purposes, including harassment and theft.
“Formalizing a set of best practices for manufacturers will allow for scalable compatibility with unwanted tracking detection technologies on various smartphone platforms and improve privacy and security for individuals,” the draft document reads.
The effort also suggests alerting people when a GPS tracker that has been detached from its owner's device is travelling with them and giving them the tools to locate and disable the tracker.
According to the suggested specifications, location-tracking accessories must accept at least one unencrypted connection from a non-owner, use Bluetooth LE for advertising, and keep an internal log of any times their location was disclosed to the owner.
The industry-first protocol will make it possible for Bluetooth location-tracking devices to work with unauthorised tracking detection and notifications on iOS and Android systems. The new specification has the endorsement of Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Eufy Security, and Pebblebee, according to the tech contenders.
Apple and Google sought feedback from manufacturers, safety and advocacy organisations, and manufacturers before submitting the proposed specification to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
Over the following three months, the two companies invite all interested parties to review the draft proposal and offer feedback. By the end of the year, a production version of the specification that will work with both Android and iOS is anticipated to be available.
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