In this age of digitalization, users’ privacy has been compromised. Once you go online, you become exposed. The advertising agencies tend to use personal data to bombard your cell phone with different ads as per your preferences. This is where these ad agencies are responsible to invade a user’s privacy. But where there is a will, there is a way.
If you want to keep your privacy intact and stop individuals from tracking your cell phone, you can use any one of the six techniques mentioned in this article.
Turn off your GPS service
One of the best tricks to stop someone from tracking your cell phone is to turn off your GPS service. Although you may know how to carry out the process, we have listed the main pointers here for those who don’t know how to do it.
If you are an Android user, you just need to open Settings on your phone. Tap on ‘location’, you’ll get an option to disable your location. Next, scroll down to tap on ‘Location history’ and remove all your location cache. You will have to delete complete history from all the Google accounts you have logged in from your cell phone.
However, if you are an iPhone user, then tap on Settings on your iPhone. Next, tap on the privacy option and open location services. On the new window, you’ll get an option, ‘System Services’, select that and then switch off the toggle switch beside the ‘Significant Locations’ option. To clear history, scroll down until you find the option, tap on that, and clear all your history from the iPhone.
Stop Google from tracking you even when your GPS is disabled
Even though you have disabled your phone’s GPS location, Google can still track you through your web and app activities. If you want to know how to tackle this problem then follow the steps mentioned below.
Whether you have an iPhone or an Android, log in to your Google account. Then, tap on an option, ‘Data and Personalization’. A new window will open up. Go to ‘Activity Control’, under this heading, tap the ‘Web and App Activity’ option to turn it off.
To delete your web and app activity or YouTube history, scroll down on the same window to find ‘Manage Activity.’ You will see three dots at the top of the screen in the extreme right corner. Tap on them and modify the time frame by tapping on the ‘Keep activity for’ option.
You can also delete various types of data that are saved in your Google account that may hamper your privacy.
Set high privacy on your online accounts
When you download popular applications like Facebook, Linked In, and Microsoft, you get a pop-up asking you to show your phone’s location. Once you do that, you permit them to access your GPS data. This helps these applications to suggest places nearby your area or things that you were looking for on your timeline, through an advertisement.
If you’re wondering why you are seeing ads everywhere related to a pair of denim jeans, which you were thinking about earlier, it is because these apps have access to your data via GPS. However, you can stop these applications from tracking you by simply disabling the option from the privacy control panel of these applications.
Due to privacy concerns, many major companies like Google have eased their privacy controls so that the audience better understand how things are working, and if they want to control their privacy settings, they can make an informed decision.
Beware of virtual assistants
A few days earlier, we checked out a meme, where a husband was speaking in a low tone with his wife. His wife asks him, why is he talking like that? The husband replies, he is scared, if Mark Zuckerberg is listening to his conversation. On this, he laughed, his wife laughed and Alexa laughed.
Though it may seem funny, the truth is, our privacy is at stake. Similarly, the virtual assistants you carry every day in your pocket pose a threat to your privacy.
Using voice commands for Siri or Google Assistant on your smartphones may seem exciting, but when you issue the command, the assistant records your audio files in its servers. These servers process the information anonymously by tracking your data via algorithms to study your behavior, likes, and dislikes. It enables the application to then show you targeted advertisements.
To control your privacy, always watch out before you speak, because you may unintentionally leak any important information while passing commands to these assistants.
You can limit ad tracking
If you don’t want to disable your location services while using Google Maps or Apple Maps, you can limit ad tracking. For this purpose, you can use a built-in option.
Before we dive into how to limit ad tracking, know that it won’t stop advertisements or limit their numbers. However, you will be able to reset your advertising IDs and unlink any profile with targeted advertisements. To get started follow the steps below:
Limit ad tracking on Apple gadgets
Go to Settings on your Apple device. Tap the ‘Privacy’ option, and then select the Apple advertising option. A new window will open up, where you will see an option, ‘Personalized ads’, toggle the switch towards the left to disable it and limit ad tracking.
Master the technique on Android
Navigate to ‘Settings’ and tap ‘Google’. You will see an option of Ads there. Below you will see the ‘Opt-out of ads personalization’ option. Enable it to limit ad tracking on your Android smartphone.
Use VPNs to browse
VPN stands for the virtual private network. To browse securely, we recommend the use of VPNs because they will help you hide your location and IP address.
You can download VPNs as applications, you can easily use them on your smartphone. Some of the top choices for VPNs include Express VPN, SurfShark VPN, NordVPN, PureVPN, and more. Although you may have to buy or subscribe to premium versions, it will surely be a secure investment to keep your privacy intact.
Bottom line
In this article, you have learned about six tips or hacks to keep your privacy intact. Now you know how to stop someone from tracking your cell phone. Before we conclude, if you want to make your phone untraceable, then dial *67#. It will switch off your phone and no one will be able to track your location.
