Smartphones have become invaluable tools for organising our lives. However, these devices can also capture personal data and location information that users may wish to keep private.
The Associated Press (AP) has suggested some tips to help smartphone users limit the collection of private data on their devices.
How does a smartphone track your location?
Simply opening a phone’s map tool to search for a restaurant or other business activates data tracking. Similarly, looking up the price of a product online can unknowingly allow the smartphone to track the user’s location and share data with others.
Darren Guccione is the chief executive of the U.S.-based internet security company Keeper Security. He told the Associated Press that many apps, “from fitness tracking to navigation,” can record data signals that show a user’s movements, both physical and digital.
Guccione advises users to turn on location tracking only when necessary, for example during navigation, in an emergency, or when sharing updates with trusted contacts. He adds that, once this kind of tracking is complete, users should immediately turn off location tracking.
Identify your app permissions.
One way to limit smartphone tracking is to identify and adjust app permission settings. iPhone users can do this by going to the device’s Privacy & Security settings first. Then go to Location Services to check the settings for individual apps.
Internet security experts say it is not a good idea to let apps always use your location in the background. Instead, either get the app to ask first before using your location or set it to use your location only when the app is open. Users can also choose a setting that never allows an app to track their location.
The process works a little differently for Android phones because manufacturers have different versions. In general, Android users should go to Settings. Then go to Location to turn the setting on or off for all apps.
Ad trackers
Privacy experts suggest that users block advertising identifiers on Android or Apple devices to avoid being tracked by advertising systems. This prevents third parties from using ad tracking to target users.
iPhone users can do this by going to Settings > Privacy > Apple Advertising. Then turn off Personalised Ads. On newer Android phones, users should go to Settings > Privacy > Ads and choose Delete Advertising ID.
Check your Google account.
Security experts also recommend looking closely at your Google account to make sure it is not tracking you, along with checking your app permissions for your device.
To do this, go to myaccount.google.com and select Data & Privacy. You can find Location History controls there. By default, the history will be removed after three months, but users can change this setting.
How to use web browsers
Popular web browsers for smartphones, such as Safari or Chrome, could also give away location information. Try using a browser that does not store your data. Examples of such browsers include DuckDuckGo, Firefox Focus and Ecosia.
If a privacy-protected browser needs to identify your location through an IP address, it will ask your permission first. These browsers also let users easily remove internet cookies and other web browsing data.
Find my device
Phones or tablets can be tracked using Apple’s Find My or Google’s Find My Device services, which are designed to help you find your lost device. Users can turn this feature off if they suspect that someone has taken control of their Apple or Google account and is using it to track them.
Block the signal!
Some cybersecurity websites recommend using a smartphone’s Airplane Mode to block tracking. However, some experts say that this does not always turn off all tracking signals. Users should not rely on this setting alone to prevent data collection.
In many situations, a better tool would be a Faraday bag that blocks signals. These bags block all wireless signals to the smartphone. Experts recommend testing the bag to ensure that data is actually being blocked. While these bags can be helpful, any devices kept inside them cannot be used.