6 Ways Your Phone Is Tracking You

Have you ever mentioned a product or service casually while your phone was nearby, only to start seeing ads for it on your social media feed? It might feel like your phone is listening. If that worries you, there's more: your devices are also tracking your movements! From the phone itself to the apps you use, there are numerous ways your device can track your location.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent your phone from spying on you. In today's article, we'll explore why this is so concerning, the top six ways your phone tracks you, and how you can stop it.

Why Is It Dangerous?

This data is highly valuable to Internet marketers. They use it to target you with ads based on your location and interests. Although this digital "stalking" is legal if they offer an opt-in or opt-out choice, marketers aren't the only ones interested in your data. Cybercriminals are too. Here's why allowing your phone to track you is problematic:

1. Privacy Invasion: Phone tracking enables apps, websites, and third parties to gather detailed information about your location, habits, and behaviors without your full awareness. This constant surveillance can significantly invade your privacy, making you susceptible to targeted advertising, data harvesting, or even malicious tracking for harmful purposes.
2. Identity Theft and Fraud: If your phone's tracking data is accessed by hackers or cybercriminals, it can be used to collect personal details and patterns. This information can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, or unauthorized access to sensitive accounts, causing both financial and emotional harm.
3. Physical Security Risks: Sharing your real-time location data can expose you to physical security threats. For instance, stalkers or criminals could use this information to track your whereabouts, putting your safety at risk. Publicizing your movements can also help bad actors predict your routines or target you when you're most vulnerable.

How Your Phone Is Tracking You

Location Services: Your phone's GPS and location services monitor your whereabouts in real time, noting where you go and how long you stay. Using "Frequent Locations," your phone can deduce where you work and live based on your visits. While helpful for directions or finding nearby restaurants, constant tracking can reveal your movement patterns, risking privacy invasion.

Both Apple and Android allow you to disable this feature. Instructions vary by model and operating system, but here are basic steps:

How to turn it off:

• iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Toggle off Location Services or manage individual app permissions. Scroll to System Services, select Significant Locations, and toggle it off. Clear your history by clicking Clear History.
• Android: Go to Settings > Location > App Permissions, and either disable location tracking for specific apps or turn off Use Location entirely. To delete location history, tap Delete Location History under Location History.

App Permissions: Many apps request access to your contacts, photos, microphone, and camera, allowing them to track your activity even when you're not actively using the app. Regularly review and adjust these permissions to protect your privacy.

How to turn it off:

• iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security. Check categories like Camera, Microphone, and Contacts to review and adjust app permissions.
• Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Permissions. Manage which apps have access to sensitive data like contacts, microphone, and camera.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connections: Your phone constantly searches for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, allowing third parties to track your location based on networks and devices you've interacted with.

How to turn it off:

• 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 scanning. Disable these options to prevent constant network and device searches.

Browsing Activity: Web browsers and apps track your search history and visited websites. This data builds profiles of your preferences, leading to targeted ads and potential selling of behavior patterns to third parties.

How to turn it off:

• iPhone & Android: Use private or incognito mode for safer browsing. In Google Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy & Security and turn off Web & App Activity. Regularly clear your browsing history and cookies.

Ad Tracking: Your phone assigns you a unique advertising ID, which companies use to track your behavior across apps and websites. This ID provides advertisers with insights into your interests for personalized ads.

How to turn it off:

• iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track. Also, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising to disable personalized ads. Note: You will still see ads, just not personalized ones.
• Android: Go to Settings > Privacy > Ads, then toggle on opt out of Ads Personalization.

Social Media and Search Engines: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google track your online interactions, searches, and location to create detailed profiles of your habits and interests, using this data for advertising and content recommendations.

How to turn it off:

• Social Media: Go to each platform's settings (e.g., Facebook > Settings & Privacy > Privacy Shortcuts) to review data collection and manage ad preferences.
• Google: Go to Google Account > Data & Privacy > Web & App Activity to control tracking of your search and activity history. 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.

Why This Matters for Business Owners:

For business owners, protecting personal privacy is as crucial as securing company information. The same tracking methods that follow your every move can also expose your business to risks. Hackers, cybercriminals, and even competitors can exploit these vulnerabilities to gather valuable data about your business activities, customer interactions, and confidential communications.

By taking steps to limit phone tracking and adjusting privacy settings, you're not just protecting yourself—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 FREE Discovery Call 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 or call us at (802) 331-1900 to get started.