Florida Cracks Down on Illegal Tracking Devices

A new Florida law is imposing tougher penalties for using tracking devices without consent. Senate Bill 1168, which took effect in October, makes it a second-degree felony to secretly track someone in connection with a violent crime such as murder, assault, kidnapping, robbery, or rape—punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The legislation strengthens a 2024 law, Senate Bill 758, which had already made unauthorized tracking a third-degree offense. Devices like Apple AirTags and other Bluetooth or GPS trackers are specifically mentioned under the law.

The crackdown follows several high-profile cases, including one in Miami where 35-year-old Alfredo Cedeno was arrested after allegedly placing a GPS tracker on his ex-girlfriend’s car to stalk her. Police say Cedeno was taken into custody shortly after the law went into effect.

Lawmakers say the new law sends a strong message that digital stalking and tracking are serious crimes with real consequences.