Your phone secretly tracks you with the help of three settings. How to disable them

iPhone apps can collect data about users’ activities and location. Find out how to turn off three key settings to protect your privacy.

The solution to disable is in the privacy menus. PHOTO Shutterstock

Constant tracking through smartphones: Many iPhone users have an average of at least 60 apps installed on their devices, according to dailymail information. These apps are used for various activities, from communication and counting calories to navigating a new city. However, many of them include permission requests and hidden tracking tools intended to generate revenue.

Developers take advantage of Apple’s smartphone settings to gain access to the websites you visit, the places you travel and the destinations you frequent, creating a detailed user profile that can be sold to the highest bidder. These practices are legal because the companies that develop the apps give users the option to opt in or out, but most people don’t know what to look for.

Finding the privacy menus: I’ll show you how to identify the menus needed to disable these options and what features you’ll lose if you make the changes. When you turn off location tracking, all installed apps must follow the same rules, which means that in some cases you won’t need to change settings for each app.

Warning before entering the settings

Safety is a major concern. Many smartphones use location data to send information to emergency first responders. When you change the settings, you may notice an option that allows emergency services to bypass the restrictions imposed.

It’s also important to note that certain apps, especially those that rely on location or activity data, may not function properly after you turn off tracking features. Transportation and fitness apps may become less accurate. However, for apps you use frequently and trust, you have the option to give them location access.

The three settings you may want to change

  1. Ad Tracking: It’s obvious that developers are aware of user actions in their apps. They’ve implemented tactics to track users on websites and while they’re on the go with their phones, gathering bits of information to create a detailed profile. This allows for targeted advertising, and much information is shared or sold to other companies. You need to change this setting depending on the application. You can decline tracking requests when they first appear, but you may have already done so for apps you use frequently. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Tracking to block apps from asking for permission to track you. If you disable this option: You will see a reduction in the number of ads from large retailers such as Facebook or Amazon. However, you would be removing a source of data that allows these companies to better understand who you are and what your preferences are.
  2. Places of interest: Your iPhone tracks the places you visit most often. Apple claims this is to make navigation to your favorite places faster and provide smarter map recommendations. That’s why you see destination suggestions in the Maps app at certain times of the day, based on your behavior patterns. To opt out of this tracking and delete existing data, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations. If you disable this option: recommendations will become less targeted and specific. For example, if you’re looking for coffee, your favorite chain will no longer appear at the top of suggestions, and at the end of a long day at the office, your home will not be the first suggested destination.
  3. Location Tracking: These settings are essential and the user is in control. According to Apple: “Location services use device sensors, including GPS and Bluetooth (where available), along with Wi-Fi hotspots and cell tower locations to determine your device’s location.” A 2022 study showed that Apple continued to collect data about its customers while they were using its apps, even when they turned off analytics sharing. This discovery was made by two developers who found that Apple records every movement of users in pre-installed applications such as App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, Books and Actions. The study comes just over a year after Apple introduced a controversial privacy control requiring users to give permission for apps to track them for advertising purposes, which hurt the revenue of many companies and developers that relied on advertising.

Important considerations

Use common sense when managing app permissions. For example, a navigation app needs full location access to provide accurate directions, while a gaming app doesn’t need this information. You can revoke access for specific apps and re-grant permissions along the way.

To change your location tracking settings, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. From here, you have the option to turn off location tracking on your entire iPhone or allow certain apps you trust to access your location at specific times.

If you turn off location tracking: It will take longer to check places on social networks because apps will no longer know where you are. You also won’t get turn-by-turn directions in map apps.