I’ve been playing with Bluetooth trackers since long before the AirTag showed up. There’s always been two schools of thought around these things:

1. Let Me Track Anything

A lot of the initial trackers had no limitations attached to them. If someone steals your thing, you’ll be able to track it without anyone knowing. If someone plants a tracker on you (or on your bag, or car, or whatever), they’ll be able to also track you without you knowing.

2. Just Help Me Find Lost Stuff

These are trackers not meant to remain a secret. Anyone who has an object with one of these trackers will get notified so they are never tracked secretly.

Apple immediately took this second path, which I agree with. I don’t ever see myself chasing down a thief and the idea of someone secretly tracking my location gives me the creeps and I don’t have any vindictive stalkers or exes in my life.

Apple and Google are officially both on board with a recent joint press release. (That’s right, a press release by Apple and Google, together.)

“Today Apple and Google jointly submitted a proposed industry specification to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices for unwanted tracking. The first-of-its-kind specification will allow Bluetooth location-tracking devices to be compatible with unauthorized tracking detection and alerts across iOS and Android platforms.”