How we built the new Find My Device network with user security and privacy in mind

Android's Find My Device feature utilizes crowdsourced Bluetooth proximity to locate lost devices. To ensure privacy, location data is end-to-end encrypted and only accessible to the device owner and authorized users. The network minimizes data retention and discards reports if the owner's devices can locate the tag. Safety protections include aggregation by default, limiting reports per device, and throttling location updates to prevent unwanted tracking. Users control network participation, including opting out or contributing aggregated or non-aggregated location data. At-home protection and unknown tracker alerts further enhance privacy and prevent stalking. The Find My Device network adheres to industry standards for unwanted tracking detection. Android's security team and external researchers continuously test and improve the network's security. User safety is prioritized by mitigating privacy and safety risks while enabling effective device recovery. Android remains committed to enhancing user protections and safeguarding user data and privacy.