TagSquad
Why TagSquad is different
Bluetooth trackers (AirTag, Tile and others) are built to follow things. TagSquad tags are built to be found.
The problem with Bluetooth trackers
Bluetooth trackers carry a battery and constantly broadcast, so a phone or network can locate them from a distance. That's useful for keys. It's also why they've been misused to follow people: police forces have logged cases of trackers slipped into bags, coat pockets and car bumpers.
In the UK, a man pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court to stalking his ex-partner after gluing an AirTag under her car bumper. The built-in warnings help, but Apple's alert system only works for iPhone owners.
TagSquad tags use NFC
- No battery and no GPS. They're passive, powered only when a phone is held right next to them.
- No broadcasting. They send nothing until someone taps them, so they can't be located or followed.
- Tiny range. A phone reads them from a few millimetres away, and never from more than about 10 cm.
- Nothing to hide in a pocket. A tag has no location to report, so it can't be used to stalk anyone.
- Works without NFC too. Every tag's QR code is engraved into the metal, so a camera scan opens the same page on any phone.
If your keys, your pet or your child's bag goes missing, whoever finds it taps the tag and sees how to reach you. The tag itself tracks nobody.
What finders share
When someone finds a tag they can choose to share their location with you, to help you collect your things. It's optional, and it's only sent when they tap to share it. We never store IP addresses.
Read more in our privacy notice, or see how it works.
Sources
- The Guardian: "I didn't want it anywhere near me" (Swansea case, iPhone-only alerts)
- Police Scotland "airtagging" inquiries, The Courier