There are a lot of apps and websites that track your location, activity, and data. They ask for permission to access this information, but it’s not always clear whether or not they’re using that data ethically.

All of that data goes to a variety of parties, including the app developers, website operators, and mobile network providers. These companies are all looking for ways to sell this information to advertisers, and they’re all willing to use your data in a way that doesn’t protect your privacy.

1. Android

Your Android phone may be the best thing to happen to technology in decades, but it’s also a target for hackers and government agencies who are looking for ways to snoop on you. Thankfully, you can easily disable tracking on your smartphone and protect your privacy.

You can turn off location tracking for individual apps or completely disable it on your device by going to Settings > Privacy and tapping Location services. You can also change your app permissions to avoid suspicious links and use reliable antivirus software to ensure your phone stays safe.

There are plenty of red flags that could indicate you have spyware installed on your smartphone. Some of them include a fast-draining battery, performance issues, rising temperatures, and weird messages or sounds while you’re on the phone.

The best way to detect whether you’re being tracked is to take a close look at your phone’s hardware and software. In particular, check out the camera and earpiece.

Another good indicator is if your phone’s battery life seems to be getting shorter over time. Aside from that, you should also take note of any other odd behaviors your device is displaying, such as lightening up, performing actions without warning or making weird noises during calls.

The most likely suspect is a spy app that’s leaking your data or sending information to a remote server using your Wi-Fi or cellular data. These kinds of tracking features can be a bit tricky to spot, but if you can see your data usage ballooning, then you might have a hidden spy app on your hands. The best way to find out for sure is to perform a full system scan and review your app permissions.

2. iOS

Apple is one of the few companies that makes it clear that it doesn’t sell your location data to outside apps or companies. It also gives you a way to control what apps can access your location information. Go to Settings > Privacy and tap “Location Services.” Toggle off tracking.

There are a few apps that can track your location even when you’re not using them, though, like Snapchat or some games. If you have these apps installed on your phone, review the settings to make sure that only friends or family can see your location.

In addition to tracking your location, apps can also collect data about the internet and digital activity you do on your phone. This can be used to show you targeted ads. It’s a major source of information for advertisers, and many people don’t realize that they’re being tracked this way.

It’s also important to be aware of how your phone is being tracked, as hackers can often install malware on your device in order to spy on you. This can include spyware that can collect your personal information, like passwords and credit card numbers.

Your phone can be tracked on a variety of levels, from active (through GPS or GSM) to passive (via Bluetooth beacons and Wi-Fi). The EFF has called mobile location tracking the deepest threat to our privacy.

While some tracking is legal, such as the law enforcement practice of cell tower triangulation, others aren’t. It’s not uncommon for apps to use this technology to track your exact location without your permission, or for businesses and security agencies to gather location data from you for their own purposes.

4. Blackberry

The BlackBerry brand was once well-known for its secure communication and mobile productivity devices. These phones specialized in secure networks and chip-level hacking protections that others lacked. At its peak, BlackBerry had 85 million users worldwide. However, in recent years, its market share has shrunk to less than 2% in the United States.

Blackberry was also a popular choice for business and government. Its devices were trusted by thousands of companies and governments around the world to securely enable business on mobile.

Aside from being the most secure phone on the market, it also offered a unique range of features. One of these was BBM, which allowed users to send and receive encrypted instant messages, voice notes, images and videos through a special PIN. This service was free of charge if the user had a data plan.

In addition, BlackBerry had a variety of other features that were not available on other phones. These included polling email, device storage and enabling the user to access all their data off-line when they lost their wireless service.

Another feature of BlackBerry was its SureType keyboard, which replaced the traditional QWERTY keyboard with a smaller version. This allowed the phones to be thinner than other competing models on the market.

Many of the newer BlackBerry devices had large 240 x 260 resolution displays. The BlackBerry Pearl, which was released in 2005, became the first smartphone with a track wheel for navigating the screen. This revolutionised the way people used their phones, removing the need to touch the screen with a finger.

Security is a big concern for BlackBerry users, and they don’t want to compromise their privacy to be productive. That’s why BlackBerry devices are equipped with a secure boot process that makes each step of the device’s boot cycle authentic and tamper-proof. They also offer US government-grade encryption to protect your personal information in the event that your phone is stolen.

5. Windows Phone

While there are some phones that can be tracked to a certain degree, the good news is that most of them are incredibly hard to track. Some are even impossible to track on some networks, including public Wi-Fi hotspots that are more prone to malware attacks and rogue network interceptions. The best way to avoid being tracked is to never use those networks, but if you must, make sure your phone is locked. This will protect your data and personal information from snoopers. Another good option is to build your own Faraday bag to block all signals from incoming Wi-Fi connections.