A few of these like Significant Locations, Location-Based Ads, and iPhone Analytics quietly log a lot more about your movement and behavior than most people realize.
If you’re aiming for more privacy, it’s worth going in and turning most of those off (especially Significant Locations, which tracks where you go most often). Just keep Find My iPhone on if you use that feature. Also I’d keep on the cell network service, timezone, Apple Pay if you use it, and emergency calls.
You may find that some of these affect the usability so just keep that in mind.
Yes exactly. What’s nice about the toggles are you can quickly adjust and tailor to your exact needs. For instance you don’t always need to have the Apple Pay merchant identifier on if you’re not in purchase mode but you can quickly turn it on when needed then back off.
I think the best I can do is point people in the right direction and empower them to start to see these things for themselves. Being better informed and being able to make better quality decisions based on individual needs builds confidence.
I don’t want to sound naive, but I have always lived with the idea for decades that I never put anything out in public that might bring the government to my door. (and I’m 65 so that’s a few decades). They have always had access to our information and don’t tell me about the laws that keep them from doing it because that illusion was smashed years ago. 😗
So the kit is not something you sign up for. It’s a set of guides. You became a paid subscriber to my publication. Your welcome email will go through all the things you get as a paid subscriber. You also get 20% off all my digital products and workshops including the Toolkit you were trying to access.
I’m getting somewhat confused. I paid $21 for something. Perhaps that was to subscribe. Am I now a paid subscriber? I just want to sort this out and get connected with you.
Honestly, when I got to the partnership section, my first thought was, “Is this just fear-mongering for profit?” But I kept reading, double-checked my own security settings, and I have to admit—I was convinced. It might be a bit of both: a writer doing their job while also offering a genuinely valuable public service.
Yes my goal is to reach out and help everyday people with their data privacy. I try to be real and use a combination of insight and emotion to get the point across. At times it can come off as fearmongering however I do my best to use it strategically. Sometimes the reality is scary enough lol.
I find people are too busy to often even think about these things never mind what to do about it. I offer free value in all of my posts AND useful tools or strategies through my digital products as at the end of the day I do love writing as an outlet but this is also part of my business.
I use Traffic Monitor app, which reveals that, from time to time, I will have uploads or downloads from 100MB to 500MB at hours when I'm not actively on my phone (and having all the trackers and identifies that I can access either off or deleted). Recently, I had a wifi download of 184 MB even though I don't have active wifi in my home.
Can you explain what caues this?
I also heard years ago the FBI would fly planes over people's houses to collect data from computers and phones. Do things like this still happen now?
Sounds like background activity from system updates or app syncing these can run even when your phone’s idle. The Wi-Fi download might be mislabeled if your device briefly connected to a nearby network or used a carrier offload service. A firewall app like NetGuard can help track what’s really going on.
As for the FBI I would say it’s safe to say this is still happening on some level lol
It's possible to view plane flights, through apps such as Flightradar24.com. I became interested after noticing a lot of helicopter flights one year, and some low-flying big-sounding late night flights.
If you have Android Netguard is free. If on iPhone you’ll have to use either Lockdown or Guardian Firewall which are both paid. Unfortunately there is no good free option that I’ve found for iOS
What about the list of System Services at the end of the Apps list? That brings me to another list that seems much more technical.
Great question!
A few of these like Significant Locations, Location-Based Ads, and iPhone Analytics quietly log a lot more about your movement and behavior than most people realize.
If you’re aiming for more privacy, it’s worth going in and turning most of those off (especially Significant Locations, which tracks where you go most often). Just keep Find My iPhone on if you use that feature. Also I’d keep on the cell network service, timezone, Apple Pay if you use it, and emergency calls.
You may find that some of these affect the usability so just keep that in mind.
Thanks. I just turned a bunch of things off so I’ll monitor and see if I have any issues. Can always turn certain things back on.
Yes exactly. What’s nice about the toggles are you can quickly adjust and tailor to your exact needs. For instance you don’t always need to have the Apple Pay merchant identifier on if you’re not in purchase mode but you can quickly turn it on when needed then back off.
I think the best I can do is point people in the right direction and empower them to start to see these things for themselves. Being better informed and being able to make better quality decisions based on individual needs builds confidence.
I actually added it in because I forgot to mention it! You’re not going crazy
Phew!!😂
Just noticed that you mentioned those in the main post when I went back and reread it. Sorry!!
I don’t want to sound naive, but I have always lived with the idea for decades that I never put anything out in public that might bring the government to my door. (and I’m 65 so that’s a few decades). They have always had access to our information and don’t tell me about the laws that keep them from doing it because that illusion was smashed years ago. 😗
Most likely the state you live in, the state government sells your data to the highest bidder. Florida has done it for years.
I’m trying to sign up for your kit and I get Gumroad. I’m confused. I’ve paid you. Something is wrong.
So the kit is not something you sign up for. It’s a set of guides. You became a paid subscriber to my publication. Your welcome email will go through all the things you get as a paid subscriber. You also get 20% off all my digital products and workshops including the Toolkit you were trying to access.
Thank you. I look forward to your leadership.
I’m getting somewhat confused. I paid $21 for something. Perhaps that was to subscribe. Am I now a paid subscriber? I just want to sort this out and get connected with you.
Bill you are in my system as a paid subscriber
🙏
This is great thank you. Kanary- do you mean Kanary the copilot app?
Yes that’s correct
Honestly, when I got to the partnership section, my first thought was, “Is this just fear-mongering for profit?” But I kept reading, double-checked my own security settings, and I have to admit—I was convinced. It might be a bit of both: a writer doing their job while also offering a genuinely valuable public service.
Thank you!
Yes my goal is to reach out and help everyday people with their data privacy. I try to be real and use a combination of insight and emotion to get the point across. At times it can come off as fearmongering however I do my best to use it strategically. Sometimes the reality is scary enough lol.
I find people are too busy to often even think about these things never mind what to do about it. I offer free value in all of my posts AND useful tools or strategies through my digital products as at the end of the day I do love writing as an outlet but this is also part of my business.
Glad I was able to prove myself.
But, it sounds like the government probably already has all my info & my face. How do we erase that?
I can't even read this article. My eyes and brain hurt. Math is hard. Technology is harder.
Dodobbird.pixels.com (art) if it wasn't for attempting to make a living I would not be online at all.
I use Traffic Monitor app, which reveals that, from time to time, I will have uploads or downloads from 100MB to 500MB at hours when I'm not actively on my phone (and having all the trackers and identifies that I can access either off or deleted). Recently, I had a wifi download of 184 MB even though I don't have active wifi in my home.
Can you explain what caues this?
I also heard years ago the FBI would fly planes over people's houses to collect data from computers and phones. Do things like this still happen now?
Sounds like background activity from system updates or app syncing these can run even when your phone’s idle. The Wi-Fi download might be mislabeled if your device briefly connected to a nearby network or used a carrier offload service. A firewall app like NetGuard can help track what’s really going on.
As for the FBI I would say it’s safe to say this is still happening on some level lol
It's possible to view plane flights, through apps such as Flightradar24.com. I became interested after noticing a lot of helicopter flights one year, and some low-flying big-sounding late night flights.
Sorry do you have iPhone or android?
I get background activity, but not to the extent of megabytes. Is Netguard on the app store or require a subscription to use?
If you have Android Netguard is free. If on iPhone you’ll have to use either Lockdown or Guardian Firewall which are both paid. Unfortunately there is no good free option that I’ve found for iOS
I use an iPhone 13