Your smartphone may be your closest companion, track your steps, save your passwords and remember eating abroad. But to what extent do you know how to protect (or display) your privacy?
We dismantle five main special terms for the mobile phone that all teams can happen when it comes to maintaining your personal information safe. Whether you are the iPhone or Android team, understanding these concepts can help you control the digital fingerprint – directly from the comfort of your hand.
Stay tuned for more In this series While we deepen more in the terms of technology related to privacy and other basic concepts, and to respond to the higher questions that we notice from readers like you.
A woman working on her laptop (Cyberguy “Knutsson)
1. Tracking the site
GPS for your phone not only for directions
Every time you check the weather, put a mark on your Instagram, or ask Google Maps the fastest path, you share your place. This is thanks to Tracking the site, A combined feature in most applications and devices that use GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cell towers to locate your location.
Here is Catch: Many applications follow you even when you do not use them. Some use these data to serve local content or ads, while others collect and sell it to third parties.
How to protect yourself:
- Check the applications that have access to the site in your settings
- Always switch from “to” while using the app “
- Think about turning off the site services completely when you don’t need them
Knowing when and how you follow is the first step to stop it.
More: The best 20 applications that follow you every day
2. Application permissions
What do you know your applications about you (and perhaps not))
Before you can use the new photo editor or the budget tool, it may ask some things – access to the camera and your contacts and the microphone, and perhaps even your calendar. This is called AppliesThey determine the parts of your phone with which the application can interact.
What is artificial intelligence (AI)?
Although some requests are necessary (for example, the video application needs to access the camera), others may be excessive or even suspicious. For example, why does the lamp application need your site or call records?
Tips for survival in control:
- Review permissions when installing applications
- Check the application settings regularly
- Delete the applications that you no longer use
Your data should not be the price of comfort. demarcation.
More: Did you say “yes” to allow the guilt of your Google app?

A woman looks at her phone while working on her laptop (Cyberguy “Knutsson)
The best 20 applications that follow you every day
3. Dual factors authentication (2FA)
A second lock on the door of the digital front
Passwords are not perfect. This is the place Dual factors authentication (2FA) Come Know (Traffic word) and something you are Ownership (Text symbol or authentication).
It supports many major applications and platforms now 2FA, and enabling them can help banning infiltrators, even if they stole your password.
Get Fox Business on the Go by clicking here
The most common types of 2fa:
- Text or email codes
- Approach applications such as Google Authenticator or Autey
- Biotechnology (fingerprints or facial identifiers)
Activating 2FA where you can. It is one of the simplest ways to raise the level of mobile phone safety.
4. Mobile advertising identifier
The invisible poster that tracks your habits
Behind the scenes, your phone is set a unique series of numbers and messages called a Mobile ads identifier (mobile ads identifier). Advertisers help track your behavior through applications and web sites to create a profile for your interests.
Although it does not include your name, it can be connected to your device and used to serve the targeted ads. Think about it as a digital name sign for marketing purposes.
Want to withdraw? You can:
- iphone: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Tracking
- Android: Settings > privacy > Ads, reset or Delete your advertising identifier
You are not obligated to allow your phone to advertise You.

Laptop and external storage devices on an office (Cyberguy “Knutsson)
10 simple steps to improve your smartphone safety and its specialization
5. VPN (virtual private network)
Your personal privacy tunnel
A VPN It is similar to the secret tunnel of your internet connection. It hides your online activities and helps to keep your personal information safe when using the Internet, especially on the public Wi-Fi network.
In addition to protecting your information from intruders, VPN also hides your real site. Internet connectivity through a server in another part of the world, which makes it look as if you were browsing from a different location. This is useful for safety (protecting your privacy) and to reach the content that may be restricted in certain areas.
When you connect to the public Wi-Fi network in a café or airport, your data can be exposed to infiltrators and Snops. This is the place VPN (virtual private network) It comes. It encodes your traffic on the Internet and directs it through a safe server, hide your IP address and protect your activity.
Think about it as a special tunnel to use your internet, protected your data from the eyes of intruders.
What is great VPNS for:
- Protect your connection to Wi-Fi General
- Access to the closed area content
- Hide your online activity from advertisers or your internet provider
Just be sure to choose a trusted VPN. Some free VPNS may record your data or slow down your phone. VPN is reliable necessary to protect your online privacy and ensure a safe and high -speed connection. For the best VPN program, see my expert review of the best VPNS to browse your web separately Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices
Data removal does what VPNS does not do: Here is the reason for both of them
Kurt fast food
Your mobile device is strong, but also the risk of privacy associated with it. By understanding the terms of the privacy of these five mobile devices, you can take simple but effective steps to protect your digital life. From turning off unnecessary application permissions to enable the authentication
Click here to get the Fox News app
Confused to the term mobile technology or want to help tighten your privacy settings? Driving your questions below. We have more tips next on your way. Let’s know through our writing in Cyberguy.com/contact
For more technical advice and security alerts, participated in the free newsletter of Cyberguy Report by going to Cyberguy.com/newsledter
Ask Kurt a question or tell us about the stories you want to cover
Follow Court on his social channels
Answers to the most asked Cyberguy questions:
New from Court:
Copyright 2025 Cyberguy.com. All rights reserved.