In a collaborative effort, Apple and Google have developed an industry-standard detection feature called “Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers” (DULT) for Bluetooth trackers. This standard allows users on iOS and Android devices to be alerted if an unknown Bluetooth tracker is monitoring their location.
I have always asked me when this would happen. So if I have a tracker on my bike the thief will now be notified of the situation.
Basically making a whole lot of potential use cases obsolete., or am I missing something?
I think the gain in privacy is definitely worth it. Just trying to understand if I am missing something
Well, what did you say?
In some languages (like French) “I wonder” is said like “I ask myself”. So I think it’s a translation mistake.
Funny 😁
The part where tags are for finding lost, not stolen, items.
Stalking someone and tracking a stolen item without alerting the thief are identical situations, so you simply can’t make a device that works for one and not the other.
One workaround that I can think of is if something like this was properly integrated to police systems, so that when you report the tagged item as stolen, the cops could switch it to a mode that keeps silent.
The trade of there is the police potentially have your location at any given time with the flip of a switch. I’d lose many of my positions before I have the police gang that much power.
Both Apple and Google’s location tracking networks are end to end encrypted. Moreover, Apple and Google have refused to put backdoors into their encryption protocols because it’s a massive opportunity for security exploits that could tank their businesses.
If the cops want to find you, they’re probably just going to ask your phone carrier to triangulate you with their tower network, which they’ve been doing for decades. That’s way faster and easier than jumping through hoops to somehow use the Find My or Find My Device networks.
For sure. That (theoretically) does require warrants, so there’s some level of red tape. That would for sure have to exist in this made up situation where talking about. No way do I want anyone able to just flip a switch and snoop on me, especially the police.
They would need to know what tag is yours, it’s not like tags have a subscription based contract with a company that directly links the device to you.
Unlike, you know, a cell phone. Which you carry with you at all times.
Quit reminding me that I purchased, and am reliant on, my own personal surveillance capitalism data-harvesting tracking-device.
Exactly. The tag IDs are anonymous and the clients are E2EE.
I’d be easier just to use cell towers.
I guess it helps against being stalked.
Yes that part is clear, but the question is about the collateral damage on legitimate usage.
This use case has been covered since these products launched.
Apple Find My to Apple Find My network got notifications. Android Find My Device to Android Find My Device got notifications. And if Android users installed Apple’s Tracker Detect, they got notifications.
Now cross platform tracking will happen without the user having to download and install an app.
If you were stealing bikes, and didn’t have something like Tracker Detect installed on your Android phone, you’re not the smartest crook.
I didn’t think of that. It doesn’t make trackers useless for preventing theft.