Nobody really needs to follow you to know what you’re up to. Your phone can keep track of where you go, and, surprisingly, some of that information can be accessed by various companies. Think about your pharmacy, the cardiologist you see, or even that support group you might prefer to keep private. It’s kind of unsettling, but a lot of this data can come from regular apps that you’ve installed yourself and the permissions you’ve allowed them.
So, how does this all happen? Well, it turns out that many applications request your location for seemingly valid reasons, like delivering a local weather report or pointing you to the nearest pharmacy. However, users are often unaware that these apps can also include third-party advertising and analytics tools. If you’ve granted these apps permission and the privacy practices are lax, they might be collecting information about your location and device. From there, the location data can easily make its way into the wider digital advertising ecosystem, making it tough to control who gets access.
The issue isn’t just theoretical either. The Federal Trade Commission has actually gone after companies for similar practices. In May 2026, the FTC reached a settlement with a data broker called Kochava, which had been selling sensitive location data from millions of mobile devices without proper consent. This data could track individuals to locations like hospitals and places of worship. While Kochava did not admit to any wrongdoing, this isn’t an isolated case; other companies like Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla faced similar scrutiny over the same concerns.
In a rather alarming twist, Gravy Analytics experienced a data breach in January 2025, with a hacker claiming to have leaked 17 terabytes of sensitive information, including significant location points from everyday apps. It raises an uncomfortable question—when data brokers collect movements, and regulators step in to protect privacy, what happens when criminals still manage to obtain vast amounts of that data? It’s a troubling reality.
If you strip away the technical jargon, just a couple of weeks’ worth of your location data could potentially expose sensitive personal information. For example, it might reveal which clinic you frequent, how often you visit your place of worship, or whether anyone else is living at your address. These insights can present not only privacy concerns but actual safety issues too.
You may think, “But I never share my location!” However, if you’ve hit “Allow” on a weather app or a store app—even games—you may have unwittingly shared that data. Maybe you gave permission long ago and simply forgot. Even apps with minimal location access can often estimate your general whereabouts through your internet connection. While you can’t completely erase your digital footprint, there are ways to minimize your visibility.
Ok, so what can you do? While it’s nearly impossible to stop your phone from knowing your location if you want to utilize location-based services, you can control which apps have access to that information. You might also consider reducing advertising identifiers that allow for tracking. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a tech whiz; these changes can be made step by step.
To begin with, limiting advertising tracking can help. For iPhone users, you can adjust your settings to prevent apps from tracking you across different companies’ platforms:
- Open Settings
- Tap Privacy & Security
- Tap Tracking
- Toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track
When this setting is off, any app that requests permission to track will be treated as if you selected “Ask App Not to Track,” meaning they can’t access Apple’s advertising identifier. You can also adjust the settings for ads Apple delivers through:
- Open Settings
- Tap Privacy & Security
- Tap Apple Advertising
- Turn off Personalized Ads
If you have a Samsung Galaxy device, here’s what to do to manage your advertising ID:
- Open Settings
- Tap Security and privacy
- Scroll and tap More privacy settings
- Open Ads
- Tap Delete advertising ID, if it appears
- Confirm your choice
You can also check controls on Google Pixel devices similarly by navigating through Settings to delete your advertising ID.
Next, it’s worth assessing which apps have access to your location and questioning whether they truly need it. iPhone and Samsung Galaxy users can easily navigate their settings to change app permissions to ensure that only necessary apps have access.
Finally, consider clearing out any unused apps. Each dormant app on your device might be harboring forgotten permissions, leaving you exposed unwittingly. If you haven’t used an app in ages, think about just deleting it.
And don’t forget about older family members. They may not be as savvy with their phone settings, which can lead to years of outdated permissions. Take the time during your next visit to help them review their privacy settings too.
While changing these settings is a proactive step, it doesn’t erase data that has already been collected. A troubling detail is that data trails can be linked back to you if someone connects anonymous location data with personal identifiers like name, address, or phone number. You might want to run a free scan to see what information about you is out there and take action to remove any detail you didn’t consent to share.
To effectively manage your personal information, you could consider utilizing a data removal service that helps send removal requests to various data brokers on your behalf. This can help safeguard your personal data from being readily available online.
In summary, your phone holds more personal data than you might think. The risk is clear: location data can expose your visits to sensitive places, especially when combined with advertising identifiers. It’s important to start by reviewing your apps to see where your location is being shared and take steps to limit access to that information. These changes won’t make you completely invisible, but they can decrease the chances of your information being exploited. Don’t forget to check on the devices of your older relatives as well—it’s easy for them to get lost in outdated permissions.
When was the last time you checked which apps can see your location? Let us know your experiences.
