Tracked everywhere? Here is how to block apps that follow us
Sometimes it is enough to open a new app, and after a few seconds the message arrives: “Do you want to allow access to your location?”. Many click “yes” without thinking about it. Others don’t even realize they have already granted permission. In this way, our phone tells the story of our every movement, even when we don’t want it to. But why do so many apps want to know where […]
Sometimes all it takes is opening a new app, and after a few seconds the message arrives: “Allow access to your location?”. Many click “yes” without thinking. Others don’t even notice that they have already granted permission. In this way, our phone tells our every move, even when we don't want it to.
But why do so many apps want to know where we are? And above all: can we stop them from following us?
Tracking is everywhere, but it can be managed
GPS location is just one of many ways apps track us. There are also systems based on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even motion sensors. All of this serves, at least in theory, to improve the user experience: showing nearby restaurants, reporting traffic in real time, activating automatic functions.
But in reality, much of the data is collected for advertising purposes, statistics or, in the worst cases, resold to third-party companies.
Which apps are the most "curious"?
- Weather apps (which request location even if you can enter the city manually)
• Social networks
• Search engines
• Certain shopping apps or local offers
• Games and free applications funded through advertising
In some cases, tracking continues even when the app is closed. This is why it pays to do a little tidying up.
What you can do immediately
- Check permissions: On both iPhone and Android, you can go into your phone settings and see which apps have access to your location. You can limit them to “only while using the app” or deactivate them entirely.
- Turn off location in bulk: When you don't need it, you can turn off GPS completely. A simple gesture that drastically reduces data collection.
- Limit ad tracking: Both Apple and Google offer an option to prevent data from being used to personalize ads.
- Check Google or Apple ID settings: This is where options for location history, precise location, and background sharing are often hidden.
What about apps already installed?
Many apps work perfectly fine without knowing your location. Trying to deactivate it is the best way to discover if it's actually necessary. In many cases, nothing changes, but you gain in privacy. Another useful tip: uninstall apps that you never use. In addition to freeing up space, you reduce permissions granted in the past and often forgotten.
A possible balance
It’s not about living disconnected from everything. Location can be useful, but it must be a conscious choice, not an automatic one. Today more than ever, understanding how the tools we use every day work is a form of autonomy and self-respect. Being “tracked” is not inevitable.
Just a few minutes in the settings is enough to regain control.