Our smartphones have become an extension of ourselves, offering convenience and connectivity at our fingertips. However, this convenience comes at a price – our privacy.
Have you ever casually talked about a product or service while your phone was nearby and then suddenly started seeing ads for it on your social media feed? This unsettling phenomenon is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how our devices monitor our activities.
While the idea of your phone listening to your conversations is concerning, an even more pervasive form of surveillance is taking place: location tracking. Your smartphone, along with the myriad of apps installed on it, are constantly pinging your location. This digital trail follows you everywhere, from your daily commute to your weekend getaways, creating a detailed map of your movements and habits for those who have access to this data.
Luckily, there are ways around allowing your phone to spy on you. In today’s article, we’ll share why it’s so dangerous, the ways your device is tracking you, and provide practical steps on how you can shut it down.
Why Is Location Tracking Dangerous?
The collection of location data is not just a matter of targeted advertising; it’s a serious privacy and security issue. While marketers use the collected data to show you local and interest-based ads, cybercriminals can take advantage of your data.
- Invasion of Privacy: Phone tracking allows apps, websites and third parties to collect extensive information about your location, habits, and behaviors without your full knowledge. This constant surveillance can lead to a significant invasion of privacy, making users vulnerable to targeted advertising, data harvesting, or even malicious tracking for more harmful purposes.
- Identity Theft and Fraud Risks: If your location data falls into the wrong hands – such as hackers or cybercriminals – it can be used to gather personal details and movement patterns, potentially leading to identity theft or financial fraud.
- Physical Security Threats: Perhaps the most alarming aspect of location tracking is its potential to compromise your physical safety. Real-time location data can be exploited by stalkers or criminals to monitor your movements, making you an easy target for various forms of crime.
How Your Phone Is Tracking You
Understanding how your phone tracks you is the first step in protecting your privacy. Here are the primary methods:
1. Location Services
At the heart of your phone’s tracking capabilities is its GPS and location services. These features continuously monitor your position, recording not just where you are, but how long you stay at each location. This data is used to create a profile of your frequent locations, including assumptions about your home and workplace based on your patterns of movement.
Both Apple and Android give you the option to turn this feature off. Exact instructions will vary by specific model and operating system; however, here are basic instructions:
How to turn off Location:
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iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Toggle off Location Services or manage individual app permissions. Scroll down to System Services. Select Significant Locations to see the logged record of where you’ve been and toggle it off. You can also clear your history by clicking Clear History.
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Android: Go to Settings > Location > App Permissions, and either disable location tracking for specific apps or turn off Use Location To delete your device’s location history, tap Delete Location History at the bottom of the screen under Location History.
2. App Permissions
Many of the apps you use daily request access to various features of your phone, including your location, contacts, camera, and microphone. While some of these permissions are necessary for the app to function, others may be collecting more data than required, potentially tracking your activities even when you’re not actively using the app.
How to turn off App Permissions:
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iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security. From there, check categories like Camera, Microphone and Contacts to review and adjust app permissions.
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Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Permissions. Here you can manage which apps have access to sensitive data like contacts, microphone and camera.
3. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connections
Your phone is constantly scanning for Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices, even when you’re not actively using these features. This scanning can be used to triangulate your position, even if you’ve disabled GPS, by identifying the networks and devices in your vicinity.
How to turn off Wifi and Bluetooth Connections:
- iPhone: Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen and toggle off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. For full control, go to Settings > Wi-Fi & Bluetooth to disable scanning.
- Android: Go to Settings > Location > Wi-Fi & Bluetooth. Disable these options to prevent your phone from constantly searching for networks and devices.
4. Browsing Activity
Your web browsing history and search queries provide valuable insights into your interests and behaviors. This data is often used to create detailed profiles about your preferences, which can be used for targeted advertising or sold to third parties.
How to turn off Browser Activity:
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iPhone & Android: Use your browser’s private or incognito mode for safer browsing. In Google Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy & Security and turn off Web & App Activity. Additionally, clear your browsing history and cookies regularly.
5. Ad Tracking
Your phone assigns you a unique advertising ID, which allows companies to track your behavior across different apps and websites. This ID follows your activity, providing advertisers with insight into your interests to serve personalized ads.
How to turn off Ad Tracking:
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iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track. You can also go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising to disable personalized ads. *This does not mean you won’t still see ads; you just won’t see personalized ads.
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Android: Go to Settings > Privacy > Ads, then toggle on opt out of Ads Personalization.
6. Social Media and Search Engines
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google are particularly adept at tracking your online interactions, searches, and location. They use this information to create incredibly detailed profiles of your habits and interests, which inform their advertising strategies and content recommendations.
How to turn off Web Activity:
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Social Media: Go to each platform’s settings (e.g., Facebook > Settings & Privacy > Privacy Shortcuts) to review what data is being collected and manage ad preferences.
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Google: Go to Google Account > Data & Privacy > Web & App Activity to control how Google tracks your search and activity history. You can also adjust Ad Settings to limit ad tracking.
By adjusting these settings, you can significantly reduce the amount of personal information your phone tracks, giving you more control over your privacy.
Implications For Business Owners
For entrepreneurs and business owners, the stakes of privacy protection are even higher. The same tracking methods that follow your personal movements can also expose your business to significant risks. Cybercriminals and competitors could potentially exploit these vulnerabilities to gather sensitive information about your business operations, client interactions, and confidential communications.
By taking proactive steps to limit your phone’s tracking capabilities and adjusting your privacy settings, you’re not just protecting your personal information – you’re also safeguarding your business from potential data breaches, identity theft, and targeted cyber-attacks. In today’s world, cybersecurity isn’t just a technical issue, it’s a strategic one, and staying ahead of threats starts with being informed and proactive.
If you’re concerned about your business’s overall security, don’t wait for a problem to occur. Schedule a Security Risk Assessment with our team today, and let’s ensure your entire network is protected from top to bottom. Our experts will identify vulnerabilities and recommend tailored solutions to keep your business safe. Click here to get started.
