Some 51% of people think sharing their smartphone PIN with a partner is normal and healthy. Checking internet search histories and tracking a partner’s location are a different story; 74% of those surveyed think location tracking is toxic, and that percentage jumps to 95% if the location tracking is done without the other party’s knowledge.
8 ways your phone is tracking you - That you can stop now
You understand that your phone knows where you’re located. This is how GPS works, how Find My sees your location and why you get local ads on Facebook and Google. Like other data on your phone, that location data is a hot commodity for internet marketers.
Thankfully, you don’t have to stand for this kind of data collection. These tactics are legal because the companies behind them give you a choice to opt in or out, but not everyone knows how to change the settings. We’ll show you how to stop your phone from tracking you. Ready to go dark? Let’s get started.
This tip is brought to you by our sponsor, TotalAV. Right now, get an annual plan of TotalAV Internet Security for only $19 at ProtectWithKim.com. That’s over 85% off the regular price.
1. Tweak your phone’s location settings
You can prevent iOS and Android from tracking you, but companies don’t make it easy. The feature is buried inside your device’s privacy settings and, by default, records your daily routine.
Known as “Frequent Locations,” it keeps track of where you are and how long you stay there. It even knows where you live and work based on how long you’re there and when you visit.
If you find this unsettling, you can turn the feature off. Here are the basic steps, but depending on your specific model and operating system, you may need to follow different instructions.
Turn off location settings on Apple devices
- Open Settings.
- Tap Privacy & Security.
- Select Location Services.
- Scroll down and tap System Services.
- Choose Significant Locations to see the logged record of where you’ve been and toggle it off.
You can also clear your history here by clicking Clear History.
Shortcut to reading annoying privacy policies
Tech privacy policies are confusing on purpose. I know, big shocker! But I’m always surprised by just how difficult these things are to comb through and what they hide.
Today, I’m calling out the biggest offenders — and sharing one of my favorite, easy-to-use privacy tools.
Have any new tech? Take steps now to secure your privacy
Raise your hand if you scooped up some tech for yourself during the holiday sales madness. It’s a great time to score a deal, but I bet you’re also slammed with work and family obligations.
Don’t just set it and forget it with your new gear. (Hackers and scammers are hoping you do, of course.) Take a few minutes to secure it. You’ll be glad you did.
Privacy tip: Make sure you're not accidentally sharing your location with apps or people
Ever text a picture to an acquaintance or someone you just met? Depending on your phone and camera’s settings, you may have inadvertently sent where you live, too. This is what someone can see from just a photo.
One good thing about social media is that most platforms wipe out this data. Still, they’re exposing you in other ways. Here’s how to check everything Facebook collects.
Shopping under surveillance: How retailers track you and how to be invisible
If you have a pulse and an internet connection, companies want all the details they can fetch on what you’re willing to buy — and it’s getting harder to tell where they’re obtaining all that info.
Retailers can now track what customers purchase to influence their buying patterns. Loyalty programs collect data on your purchases, frequency and preferences — in exchange for deals.
Use Apple, Google, Facebook or Twitter? Here's how to find out what they know about YOU
It’s no surprise anymore that social media companies like Meta gather a lot of information about you. Tap or click here for 10 Facebook privacy and security settings you need to change right now.
When you create an account with Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you’re asked if you’d like to sync your contacts. It seems harmless, but it’s not. Here’s why you need to stop doing this.
Most people make this major mistake: Sharing photos
You meet someone on a dating app, then take the conversation to text messages. Things are going well, and you send a picture of the sunrise one morning. Harmless, right? Boom! You may have just given away your exact location.
Put your phone away - The best standalone GPS trackers for your car
Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere is a nightmare, and even thinking about it sends a surge of anxiety through your head. What if you get stuck, and nobody knows where you are? Tap or click here for three map apps better than Google if you have multiple stops.
Protect your privacy: How to stop apps and people from tracking your every move
Imagine if a data broker knows your phone is on a nightstand next to another phone six nights a week and across town on the seventh night. That data broker also knows everywhere you go and how long you stay there. Creepy.
This simple Android location setting saves your privacy
Privacy is more important than ever. Beyond fraud and identity theft risks, access to your information could also impact personal safety.
Your phone doesn’t need your exact location at every given moment. It doesn’t need to know where you are unless you use a program like Google Maps.
Yes, your data is for sale - Here's what you can do to stop it
No matter how careful you are, your privacy is always at risk when you go online. You can mitigate this by avoiding social media and certain apps and websites.
We understand that it’s not always easy to avoid the world’s most popular sites and apps. You can still enjoy them as long as you take some precautions. Tap or click here to learn how to check up on your privacy settings with Facebook and Google.
AirPods led police to find a stolen car with a baby inside
People use technology to find missing objects, alert emergency services or save someone’s life. One example is an Apple Watch that detected a tumor in a 67-year-old woman from Maine.
In another, the iPhone’s emergency SOS function helped a snowboarder contact emergency services after falling into a hidden crevasse at around 10,000 feet above sea level. But probably the most significant boon to Apple’s location-tracking technology is saving a baby’s life.
Hidden map on your phone shows everywhere you’ve been and the photos you took there
Google Maps makes navigating unfamiliar cities frustration-free and straightforward. It has an innovative feature that you’re probably not taking full advantage of, Street View. Sure it’s great for looking at your childhood home. But, you can use it for things like creating your own stories and even going indoors.
Twitter shares your location when you tweet - Take this step now
Social media is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family. Thanks to privacy settings, you can easily share stories and photos only with people you know. Even with the latest privacy tools, people still tend to overshare.
6 common tech myths and misbeliefs debunked
We once believed that Macs would never get a virus, closing apps would save battery life, and private mode was really private.
For the record, switching to incognito in your browser probably doesn’t do what you think. Tap or click for six practical reasons to use it, from keeping your search autofill clean to shopping without spoiling the surprise.
Apps removed for secretly collecting data from millions - Delete them now
There are tons of mobile apps available, all with different functions and capabilities. Tap or click here for five great apps for iOS and Android. No matter which apps you download, you have a reasonable expectation that they will work as promised.
How to change privacy settings on Instagram
Whether they are watching your activity and using it for their means or selling it to third parties, Big Tech is under the privacy microscope. In response, developers have added privacy settings to apps and devices. This primarily serves to better inform you of how you’re being tracked in some cases. In other situations, you have greater control of how you’re tracked.
This app is one of the biggest drains on your battery - Here's how to stop it
Even though mobile phones released in the last few years have larger batteries, there seems always to be something that drains them faster than before. A recent update to Apple’s operating system caused battery issues.
4 free ways to keep track of your friends and family with your smartphone
As GPS trackers become more commonplace with devices like Apple AirTags, we are developing a constant need to know where everything and everyone is at all times. Tap or click here to find out the difference between Tile trackers and Apple AirTags.