Apple and Google want to fight stalking, but an annoying problem remains

With a joint initiative, Apple and Google want to limit the improper use of small Bluetooth location devices, so-called trackers.

The proposal for an industry standard for the Android and iOS (iPhone) mobile platforms will also be supported by other relevant manufacturers such as Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Eufy Security and Pebblebee, the two US tech giants announced on Tuesday.

However, Swiss lawyer and digital expert Martin Steiger has little good to say about the initiative. And he also remembers the unresolved issues related to so-called stalking.

Why are Apple and Google merging?

In recent years, repeated incidents have been made public where Apple’s AirTags or other Bluetooth trackers have been misused to monitor and track people against their will.

Apparently, Apple and Google felt compelled to act because of their unique position in the tech industry: As is well known, the two American companies form a global duopoly with their mobile operating systems Android and iOS (iPhone). They are also in the best position to introduce a cross-device standard.

Digression: They did something similar in 2020 with the creation of a new technical interface for the Corona warning apps. The associated technology, which is integrated into the mobile operating systems, is also based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) – a short-range radio standard that is said to consume little power.

And now it’s becoming a common anti-stalking standard for the fairly popular mini trackers. The responsible Google manager summed it up:

Apple has already introduced technical protection measures to prevent stalking by AirTags:

However, this protection against stalking only works if everyone involved uses iPhones or Apple devices.

Apple also launched an Android app in 2021 to help Android device owners identify “strange” AirTags and other compatible trackers. And Samsung has implemented an anti-stalking feature called “Unknown Tag Search” on its Android devices.

However, the major players have so far been unwilling to address the problem with a cross-platform solution.

That should change.

What’s planned?

Apple and Google have proposed a new technical specification for the Task force internet technology submitted. The IETF is a leading organization for the development of internet standards. Interested companies can view and comment on the relevant design for the next three months.

Its stated goal is to recognize the trackers from different manufacturers on different smartphones and alert affected users immediately. The exact technical implementation is not yet known.

The two American tech giants want to publish an implementation of the anti-stalking standard by the end of 2023, which will then be integrated into future versions of the iOS and Android mobile operating systems.

American scientist Nishant Bhaskar, who researches the security of Bluetooth and other wireless systems, welcomed the announcement:

What’s the catch?

There are several, Swiss lawyer and digital expert Martin Steiger explains to Watson.

AirTags and similar Bluetooth trackers are a good example “Why We Can’t Have Nice Things Anymore”. In other words, usable devices would be misused, against which the providers would have to act, but which would also limit legitimate use.

The permitted use is limited when an AirTag is no longer or less always near the owner, the lawyer explains.

It should be noted that Bluetooth trackers are increasingly being promoted as a vehicle theft prevention tool, especially in the US. The New York Police Department (NYPD) this week called on citizens to hide an AirTag in their own cars. And Mayor Eric Adams announced the distribution of 500 free AirTags, claiming the technology will help reduce the rising number of car thefts.

But back to the laudable initiative of Apple and Google. The digital expert Martin Steiger points out that this only seemingly solves the stalking problem, because there will always be providers who offer the corresponding devices without protective measures, or you could also customize the devices yourself. For example, with the AirTags it is relatively easy to switch off the speaker.

Tracking other people with technical devices such as Bluetooth trackers is only one aspect of the whole case, the experienced lawyer explains.

What’s the biggest problem with stalking?

Stalking is often primarily communicative; whether it’s directly, whether it’s on social media platforms, or the old-fashioned way by mail, says Steiger. And the local legislation does not do justice to the threatening situation. The victims have great difficulty in defending themselves legally.

The lawyer explains:

As long as stalking is not a criminal offense in Switzerland, one should focus on general criminal offenses, says Steiger. “Or you have to use civil law, which is very expensive.”

In everyday life, the legal options are often in the background because there are no options for enforcement. Victims would have to make a lot of effort anyway and the authorities were “not victim-friendly”.

In particular, law enforcement agencies, ie prosecutors and criminal judges, have traditionally focused on the suspect. For example, victims of stalking cannot assume that a decision will be made in their favor when in doubt. The lawyer’s sobering statement:

PS: When will the Google tracker come?

We’ve known since the beginning of the year that Google is going to launch an AirTag competitor. Like the Apple tracker, it should come in a variety of colors and have a built-in mini speaker so users can find them quickly. However, the Google tracker should also be able to be located with centimeter accuracy via Ultra-Wideband (UWB) – at least on newer smartphones that have a UWB chip. The internal code name would be “Grogu”, like the Star Wars series character “The Mandalorian”.

In parallel to its AirTag clone, Google is also likely working on a crowdsourcing network. As with Apple’s “Where is?” network, each participating mobile device should help locate missing items: the tracker automatically connects to other nearby smartphones and tablets and transmits its position to the owner.

It was already reported in 2022 that Google is considering introducing Bluetooth tracker detection at the operating system level. The company has now announced this more details next week at the I/O developer conference to announce his efforts.

Sources

With material from the Keystone-SDA news agency