Android Users Will Now Get Alerts for Unauthorized Tracking Attempts

Just a few months back, Apple and Google decided to bring forth an industry standard to curb the misuse of location-based tracking. And promptly after that, at Google I/O 2023, this feature was made official as Unknown Tracker Alerts for Android. After almost 3 months, this feature is finally going live for Android users. Let’s have a look at what this new feature has to offer.

Unknown Tracker Alerts Goes Live!

In an official Google blog post, Google has listed three distinct ways the Unknown Tracker Alerts feature will keep Android users safe and abreast of any potential threat to their privacy and security.

First and foremost, you will now be alerted on your Android smartphone whenever a “foreign” tracker is separated from its actual owner and if it is traveling with you. You will be able to expand that notification and see the exact location where the tracker supposedly came in contact with you. A “Play Sound” option will enable you to trigger a noise on the tracker that only you will be able to hear in order to locate the tracker. The actual owner of the tracker will be kept aloof from this entire process.

Secondly, if via the above-mentioned process, you are able to locate the tracker, Google will provide you with tips on how you can physically disable the tracker. Bringing the tracker to the back of your smartphone can give off vital information about it that might come in handy. Information like the serial number of the tracker, details about the owner, the last four digits of their phone number, and so on can help you take legal action. You can learn more about how you can entirely prevent the tracker from sending details back to the original owner entirely from here.

Thirdly, the Unknown Tracker Alerts feature will now enable you to manually scan your surrounding to make sure you are actually free from intrusive tracking attempts. There is a manual scan feature that can find rogue trackers around you. To do this, simply visit the Safety & Emergency menu from your smartphone Settings page. There you will find a “Scan Now” option under Unknown Tracker Alerts option. Click on it to start manual scanning of your surrounding.

With this feature rollout, Google is working closely with Apple to make user safety and security a top priority. Google will also update its Find My Device Network to enable you to keep track of your belongings. However, the rollout of this feature will be delayed until Apple integrates the network with its protection for iOS and could happen by the end of this year.

So what do you think of this new privacy feature from Google? Will this actually help you? Do you think this is the right move toward individual privacy and security? Do let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.