Learn about T‑Mobile's data-collection practices.
Lesser well-known are the browsers that allow you to search the internet on a mobile device anonymously. One such app is Mozilla's free Firefox Focus app. This anonymous mobile web browser blocks advertising, analytics and social trackers by default. It also erases passwords and browsing history after each session.
If you don't want a mobile browser that's associated with the big data brokers, you can try the third-party app Dolphin browser. If you're on a Samsung smartphone, you can also use the company's Samsung Internet app. This browser has a built-in ad tracking blocker that will keep other sites from tracking your online activity.
If you don't like the idea of Google recording all your search terms, alternative engines such as Yippy, DuckDuckGo and Ixquick don't track you as aggressively. The moment you create an account with a major company e.
Google, Microsoft or Facebook you begin feeding them data about your location, personality and preferences. Thankfully, these companies and most advertising firms give you tools to opt out of personalized ad tracking. Google and Microsoft , for example, have account dashboards for privacy controls and for checking what it knows about you.
Google revamped its ad settings to make it easier for you to understand and limit ad tracking. Facebook likewise has options for turning off behavioral tracking to keep it from following you around the web.
The company is also currently auditing its third-party apps , and they're now more accessible to view and control. Believe it or not, you have the power to just opt out of interest-based advertising — or at least most of it. The Digital Advertising Alliance has a consumer choice page that lets you see which of its participating partners is currently using customized ads on your computer. When you first visit the website, the Alliance will scan your computer. Once the scan is complete, you'll be shown a list of these partners. From there, you can learn more about the practices these companies use for interest-based ads, and opt-out using "opt-out cookies" that are stored in your browser with your preferences.
It's important to note that doing this won't remove all of the ads that you see online. Advertisers just won't be able to serve you targeted ads. With the rise of virtual assistants like Siri and Google Assistant, our smartphones are no longer used strictly for calls and chats — we can now use our voices to command these gadgets themselves. However, when you utter these virtual assistants' wake words, the audio file of your voice command is uploaded and saved to Apple, Amazon or Google's servers for processing. Chances are, as with any other tracking information, this data is likely anonymized and run through algorithms that look for behavior and patterns that can be used for targeted advertising.
Before you install apps, always check the permissions they will require on their Google Play or Apple App Store app page. Android phones will also give you a rundown of the permission requests upon installation of an app. Sometimes apps ask for more information than they need. That information can then be sent to companies who might use it for advertising.
Cortana and privacy
This is why checking your app permissions regularly is good practice. Not only will it give you more privacy control and stop apps from potentially from spying and abusing your trust, but it can also weed out apps that are continually running in the background, which can, in turn, improve your gadget's battery life. What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call my national radio show and click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to the Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet or computer.
From buying advice to digital life issues, click here for my free podcasts. Facebook Twitter Email. How to stop your smartphone from tracking your every move, sharing data and sending ads. Show Caption. Therefore, you should not be surprised to learn that some may want to spy on your phone. In this post, we will teach you how to protect your cell phone against spy software and be sure that nobody is tracking you. Some people imagine spies, sophisticated equipment, and high-tech devices. In , however, everything has become much easier!
Partly, it can be done without installing any software, but people usually use special spy applications, such as the following:. There are many players on the spyware market, which is both good and bad news. Maybe one day you will need to track someone. For example, you may want to check if your child is getting safely to school or if a senior relative found the market. Spying is not necessarily a negative or positive process — it is a way to learn more.
It depends on how people use the tool. Imagine if you are buying something and filling in your payment details—your Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, or UnionPay card information is all on the screen. If such sensitive and important information went to the intruders, you could lose money. However, the problem is in the threat of your someone learning not only your payment information but all your personal data. You probably do not want a third party to know where you were last night, who you called today at lunch, and what your plans are for the evening, which you shared by SMS with your girlfriend.
The first step to security is to set a password. Be sure to choose something unique and difficult.
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Do not choose your date of birth, the names of your best friends, and so on because the people know you well can guess this kind of password. When you leave your phone, lock it. Doing so will not give people the opportunity to use it, so they can not install spyware or change your settings. A screen lock code is a super powerful tool because most spy software requires installation. A few of them may be true, but they will always have some additional conditions.
Privacy - Control - Apple
For example, without installing additional software, you can monitor an iPhone with Find My iPhone, but to be able to do so, you have to know the password. You will probably forget to lock the screen manually, so we recommend setting up automatic locking. Almost all modern phone models on Android or iOS support it. If you can use your smartphone without rooting, do it.
Jailbreaking is a way to decrease the security level of your device. Yes, you will get some benefits if your smartphone has been rooted, but at the same time, the device will be more vulnerable. Additionally, spyware is not the only problem—malware and other viruses also can cause more problems if you have rooted your device.
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- Family and Parental Controls | T-Mobile Privacy Center.
Sometimes it is impossible to skip the rooting. In this case, do it very carefully. After you have finished, be as careful as possible — you are now at risk. You can download and install security software not only on your Mac or Windows computer or laptop but also on your iOS or Android smartphone. Antivirus apps are a great way to protect your device. Use only official solutions found in the Google Store or the App Store. For example, you can choose one of the following:.
Do not choose any. APK or any other installation files outside the official stores. Also, pay attention to the most recent update date. Good antivirus apps have to be freshly updated because new viruses appear every day. Mobile internet in is a cheap solution in many regions. Even if in yours is expensive, and you are trying to save money and use free networks, mobile internet is cheaper than lose control of your phone. Moreover, administrators can modify the information or even send some files to your devices. Public Wi-Fi is a very risky place, and it is very common for people to catch viruses and spy apps.
Most of the antivirus apps can help you in such cases, but you are still at risk. Therefore, if you have the opportunity not to use public networks, do so. It does not matter if you think you are connecting to a trusted source. For example, free internet at the airport may be dangerous. This does not mean that bad administrators and scammers are working everywhere. Everything is explained by the fact that a virus could enter their network, and this virus could steal your data, install malware, and more.
This advice valid not only for free Wi-Fi but also paid networks. The main thing is that they are all public. You should avoid using them because you can never rely on them. You may run into problems on your home network too.
How Cortana uses data to work for you
Just one click on an unknown link, and you are inadvertently downloading a strange file. Of course, you should not open it, and do not try to install it. If possible, stop the download before it ends. If the file is already on your device, then delete it and check the phone with antivirus software.