The simple fact is that a smart locating gadget is also an excellent stalking device,” Life360 (Tile’s parent firm) CEO Chris Hulls said on Wednesday in a Medium blog post. “It’s almost hard to fine-tune notifications in a manner that balances the demand for accuracy with timeliness. Furthermore, making notifications or alarm noises audible enough in any practical context is extremely challenging – it is sometimes difficult to hear an AirTag beep in a quiet room, much alone a bar or club where a stalker may be present.”
Tile’s answer seeks the sweet spot. The Anti-Theft Mode function would render the gadgets invisible to Scan and Secure, the company’s in-app tool that notifies you if any Tiles are following you. However, in order to activate the new Anti-Theft Mode, the Tile owner must verify their real identity with a government-issued ID, submit a biometric scan that aids in the detection of fake IDs, agree to allow Tile to share their information with law enforcement, and agree to pay a $1 million fine if convicted in a court of law of using Tile for criminal activity. Thus while it theoretically makes the gadget simpler for stalkers to use Tiles quietly, it makes the cost of doing so high enough to (at least in principle) dissuade them from attempting.
