Tech Tip: How to Block Location Tracking on your Phone

01Smartphones have become valuable tools for helping to organize our lives.

02However, the devices can also capture personal data and location information that users might want to keep private.

03Here are some tips suggested by the Associated Press, AP, to help smartphone users limit the collection of private data on personal devices.

04All a user has to do is open a phone's Map tool to search for a restaurant or other business to activate data tracking.

05Similarly, someone choosing to look up the price of a product online can unknowingly permit the smartphone to track the user's location and share data with others.

06Darren Guccione is the chief executive of U.S.-based internet security company Keeper Security.

07He told the AP that many apps, from fitness tracking to navigation, can record data signals that show a user's movements, both physical and digital.

08Guccione's advice to users is to turn on location tracking only when necessary, such as during navigation, emergencies, or sharing updates with trusted contacts.

09He adds that after this kind of necessary tracking is complete, users should immediately turn off location tracking.

10One step to limit smartphone tracking is to identify and change app permission settings.

11To do this, iPhone users can first go to the device's privacy and security settings.

12Then go to location services to check settings for individual apps.

13Internet security experts say it is not a good idea to let apps always use your location in the background.

14Instead, get the app to either ask first before using your location, or use it only when the app is open.

15A user can also choose the setting that never lets an app track location.

16The process works a little differently for Android phones, because manufacturers have different versions.

17In general, Android users should go to settings, then go to location to turn the setting on or off for all apps.

18To avoid being tracked by advertising systems, privacy experts suggest that users block advertising identifiers on Android or Apple devices.

19This can stop third parties from tracking ads to target users.

20To do this, iPhone users can go to the privacy setting, then find Apple advertising.

21Then turn off personalized ads.

22On newer Android phones, users should go to the privacy setting, then to ads, and choose delete advertising ID.

23Along with app permissions for your device, security experts say it is a good idea to look closely at your Google account to make sure it is not tracking you.

24To find this out, go to myaccount.google.com and find Data and Privacy.

25Users can find location history controls there.

26Under Recent Changes, the history will be removed after three months, although users can change that setting as well.

27Popular web browsers for smartphones, like Safari or Chrome, could also give away location information.

28Try using one that does not store your data.

29Such browsers include DuckDuckGo, Firefox Focus, or Ecosia.

30If a privacy-protected browser needs to identify your location through an IP address, it will ask first before doing so.

31These kinds of browsers will also let users easily remove Internet cookies and other web browsing data.

32Phones or tablets can also be tracked with Apple's Find My or Google's Find My device services designed to recover lost devices.

33Users can turn this tool off if they think someone was able to take control of their Apple or Google account and is using it for tracking.

34Some cybersecurity websites advise using a smartphone's airplane mode to block tracking operations.

35But some experts say this does not always turn off all tracking signals.

36Users should not depend on this setting alone to block data collection.

37A better tool in many situations would be a signal-blocking Faraday bag.

38These block all wireless signals to the smartphone.

39Experts suggest testing the bag to make sure data is actually being blocked.

40While such bags can be helpful, devices kept inside the containers cannot be used.

41I'm Brian Lynn.