GPS tr
acking data from your cel phone can be legally monitored by companies. Your cel phone GPS system may be disclosing where you are, and when, and you might not even realize it. Plus companies can use and sell your cel phone GPS tracking information for a variety of reasons.
There are ways for you to stop your cel phone GPS data from being collected and tracked. The problem is many consumers simply don’t know they exist.
Location based advertising combines information from your phone’s GPS tracking location feature with other data from your service provider and package it up for sale to advertisers, keeping tabs on people through tags uploaded to their cel phones called cookies.
Currently there are no laws that prohibit companies from obtaining personal information for location-based advertising. If you are using a phone or vehicle provided by your employer, under the current law your employer can use GPS tracking to know where you are and when during work hours.
Helpful Ways to Stop My Cel Phone GPS Tracking System Data From Being Monitored or Sold
• Pay close attention to the location privacy settings on phones, social networking sites and online applications. “Do Not Track” options allows users to immediately opt out of third-party data collection, so it important to know the ins and outs of your cel phone, apps and social networks.
• Don’t “check in” on location-based social networking sites from home, and don’t include GPS coordinates in tweets, blogs or social networking accounts.
• Limit who you add to your social network location services, and do not make your location data publicly available or searchable.
• Only trusted friends should know your location.
Generally speaking, the GPS tracking system on your cel phone can be limited in two ways. Its use can sometimes be limited when the cell phone user is indoors. In addition, many GPS-equipped phones have two settings: 911-only or location-on. You should examine your phone and select the appropriate setting for your personal needs.
If you use a tracking system service or GPS directions and maps, be aware that your travel history and location may be provided to law enforcement, as part of litigation, or utilized by advertisers.
The “do not track” function coming soon to Web browsers will let consumers control the spread of these cookies on their PCs. But cellphones don’t have simple controls, privacy experts note. So a tracking system can use cookies to take your information and sell it to high-paying advertisers who can then specifically target ads at you.