Android will rollout unknown tracker alerts for devices over Android 6 this month

Google has announced new unknown tracker alerts, which will begin to rollout to devices over Android 6+ this month. Here are three ways this new feature helps keep you safe from unwanted Bluetooth tracking on Android.

Track:

With this new capability, you will get notified on your compatible Android device if an unknown Bluetooth tracker is separated from its owner and is determined to be traveling with you.

You can tap the notification to learn more about the tracker and view a map of where the tracker was seen traveling with you. You can also tap “Play sound” and the tracker will make a noise to help you locate it without the owner of the tracker knowing.

Take Action:

Following an alert, you can learn more about the unknown Bluetooth tracker and get tips on how to take action.

When you bring the device near the back of your phone, some Bluetooth trackers may share their serial number or additional information about the owner of the device, like the last four digits of their phone number.

Scan:

You can also check your surroundings for trackers on your own without waiting for an alert. We built a manual scan feature so you can check if there are any trackers nearby that are separated from their owners.

To do this, go to Settings → Safety & emergency → Unknown tracker alerts and tap the “Scan Now” button. Your device will take about 10 seconds to complete a manual scan, and then you’ll see a list of trackers that are currently determined to be near you and separated from their owner’s device. You can get tips on what to do next by tapping the listed tracker.

“We care deeply about your safety, which is why we made sure to gather feedback from users, privacy and advocacy groups, and device manufacturers to help inform us as we designed unknown tracker alerts.” wrote Google.

(source)