7mo ago

Android is adding some extra protection against stalkers tracking you with tags

www.androidauthority.com

Android’s unknown tracker alerts feature is getting an update that makes it easier to stop people from tracking you.

14 comments

It's so funny to read how Android is adding protection from stalkers - when it comes from fucking Google! :)
- While yes: Google has over time become almost pure evil in a lot of aspects - that doesn't mean they are incapable of doing a good thing. We should look to applaud the good the same as we condemn the bad. This isn't perfect but is definitely a welcome step in the right direction.
  
  They mix in some good with the bad, and I think they always have done that. It's part of why they are successful. Someone who is obviously bad all the time won't succeed.
  So this is just a strategy and I'm not going to applaud their marketing strategy. But you can, if you want. :)
So they're making their tag network even more useless to track stolen items. Their network is already so crippled as to be useless.
- Tell me you didn't read the article without telling me you didn't read the article
- How are they making it more useless?
  
  If a thief steals an item with a tracker, they won't know until the cops come knocking.
  If their phone alerts them, now they know to either ditch the item or find and remove the tag quickly. If their phone now allows them to disable tracking for 24 hours easily, they have more time to find and disable the tracker.
  I'm not saying these features won't prevent stalking, but they do hurt theft tracking which is a primary purpose most people use these tags for. It seems they can only really be used for lost items, and only if lost near honest people, not opportunistic thieves.
  It's a shame stalkers had to ruin tracker tags, but I suppose it was inevitable.
so if I were to steal something just hang in a mcdonalds for an hour or two till the alert appears, then pause tracking for 24 hours and go home and hit it with a hammer? works for me.
I swear google doesn't think this stuff through lol
Being said that doesn't mean it can't bounce off another person's device on the way, so there's that at least
Is this a ploy to get me to leave my Bluetooth on at all times? Hell fucking no. No stalker is that dangerous.
YMMV

14 comments