Tracking your geolocation is another threat to your privacy. Make sure you don't accidentally share your geo-data through Google Maps and other apps. Attackers can also install spyware to monitor your position. Carefully review app permissions and remove anything suspicious.
Here's how to check and change app permissions for geolocation on your Android device:
- Open "Settings" on your Android.
- Find the section "Privacy" or "Privacy protection".
- In it, find the "Permissions" or "Manage permissions" item.
- In the list of permissions, find "Location" or something like "Location access".
- Open this item – you will see a list of all installed applications with marks indicating which of them have permission to access geolocation. Here you can enable or disable location permission for each installed application. There are usually 3 options for permission settings: "Always Allow", "Allow only when using the app", and "Deny". You can also disable all geolocation services completely in this section if you don't want to share your location.
Here's how to check and change geolocation permissions for iPhone apps:
- Open "Settings" on your iPhone.
- Select "Privacy & Security".
- In the "Privacy and security" section, find "Geolocation services".
- Click on "Geolocation Services" – you will see a general toggle to turn geolocation on/off.
- Below is a list of all installed applications with a mark to indicate which ones have permission to access geolocation.
- Click on the name of the application to change its geolocation access settings. There are usually 3 options: "Ask next time", "During use", and "Never".
- Select the desired permission option for each application.
There are also additional geolocation privacy settings in this section, for example, you can set the geolocation access denial for system services that run in the background.
Please note that even disabling geolocation will not protect you from the fact that your mobile operator will still know your approximate location (with an accuracy of ≈ tens of metres) via the cellular network.
Protect your gadgets from tracking and digital spying! Be careful and keep an eye on the privacy settings on all your devices.
Prepared based on the recommendations of Nadiyno service experts. This is a free hotline where every Ukrainian can get professional advice on online security.