Cell Phones & Location Tracking

Taking Control of Your Information

Smartphones are a convenience to our everyday lives, but they can also serve as a sophisticated tracking device that allows companies to obtain information about our specific location. This information sharing through location tracking may be used to provide targeted advertising content, apps, and other data based on your precise movements. We share information daily about our location through apps we have harmlessly downloaded for navigation, weather forecasts, car insurance rates, news, shopping, and mobile food ordering or delivery.

In most cases, privacy settings default to the collection of location information. The important thing to remember is that many applications work just fine without location tracking. Also, if you dial 911, your location information will automatically be sent to emergency responders regardless of your location settings. To manage your location sharing on your smartphone, visit your phone’s settings menu as shown below. Usually, you can manage location sharing within each app.
iPhone users
Settings > Privacy > Location Services
Android users
Settings > Biometrics and Security > App Permissions > Location