Tile is introducing a new feature to its Bluetooth trackers that renders them invisible, which will ring alarm bells for anyone worried about stalking.

It's called Anti-Theft Mode, and it's designed to protect valuables from theft by increasing the chances of recovery. Tile says the feature is being introduced in response to customer demand and solves the problem of thieves being able to check if the items they have stolen have trackers attached to them.

With Anti-Theft Mode enabled, the anti-stalking Scan and Secure feature Tile introduced last year will not be able to detect the trackers. This of course raises a question over how easily stalkers could take advantage of the new mode to hide their trackers from victims. However, Tile has thought of that and implemented what the company believes is a foolproof system.

Activating Anti-Theft Mode requires a user to submit and apply for an advanced ID verification process that includes a biometric scan to accurately detect fake IDs. The user is then registered with Tile once ID verification is complete and only then can the new mode be used. By linking the Tile user account with a government-issued ID, Tile believes Anti-Theft Mode won't be used for stalking because anonymity is directly linked with abusive behavior.

Any individual convicted in a court of law for using Tile trackers to illegally track individuals without their knowledge or consent will face a $1 million fine issued by Tile. The company also makes it clear that anyone going through the ID verification process required to use Anti-Theft Mode can and will at the discretion of Tile have their personal details shared with law enforcement. Tile says, Multi-factor ID verification, defined consequences and clearly established cooperation with law enforcement are crucial steps in deterring stalking—as well as halting unwanted future conduct.

Ultimately, Tile can't stop Anti-Theft Mode being used for stalking, but the company is clearly trying to present it as a really bad idea due to the consequences of doing so. Many will be questioning whether introducing this new mode is actually the really bad idea.