Privacy Settings on Smartphones
Just like with computers, it helps to make a few changes to privacy settings and reduce the amount of data collected about you.
Apple iPhone Device Privacy Settings
- Allow Apps to Request to Track - This allows app manufacturers to track your usage across other apps and websites. By turning off this default setting, you can automatically deny all apps from tracking you.
Turn it off!
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking > Toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track
- iPhone Analytics - allows Apple to track how you use your device to improve its services and devices, but it could drain your battery, too.
Turn it off!
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Toggle off Share iPhone [& Watch] Analytics
- While there, toggle off sharing iCloud analytics too.
- Apple Advertising - Apple promises that it does not track you, but it can personalize ads for you among its own sites and apps and you may not want to share this kind of data.
Turn it off!
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising > Toggle off Personalized Ads
- Location Services - Allows apps to know your current location. It’s an important setting when using maps, a rideshare service, or another app that relies on your location to function properly. However, many apps that have no business knowing your location still want to know where you are and where you’ve been.
Turn it off!
Do it on an app-by-app basis: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > then click on the app you want to change > choose from the options Never/Ask Next Time/While Using the App/Always.
- Location Services - Apple-specific tracking
Turn it off!
Scrolling to the bottom of the Location Services list, choosing System Services, and toggling off “iPhone Analytics and Routing & Traffic to prevent the device from sharing geodata with Apple for improving Apple Maps.”
Android Device Privacy Settings
Turn off these default settings on Android devices
- Turn Off or Limit the History - Visit your Google Activity and change the settings for Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History. You can set these to never store your history or to auto-delete after a set period of time.
- Personalizations allow Google to track you around the web. - You probably want to turn this off. Go to: myaccount.google.com > Manage your data & privacy > Turn off Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History.
- Turn off personalized ads - Click on My Ads Center > Toggle off Personalized Ads.
- Location Tracking - Android devices track your location so turn this off! Settings differ by manufacturer or OS version. Turn this off on an app-by-app basis: Go to Settings > Privacy > Permissions manager > Location > then choose the permissions for each app (Allowed all the time, allowed only while in use, or denied)