Services, applications and social networks display privacy settings during their use, which invite users to participate in product improvement programs. Users, under data protection laws, can change all options and remain anonymous, without sharing their personal and sensitive information.
However, in many situations, the settings end up hidden or dissimulated in other information, making it less intuitive to change the options to what you want. After all, data turns out to be the bargaining chip that companies “charge” for the free use of their services.
In this sense, users are presented with the default options, those that they instinctively click on when they are in a hurry to use the service. But these options give brands access to vital data such as location, activities and other information used to help improve their products. But there are shared data that become too much and the best thing is to disable unnecessary authorizations, where this is what we are going to show in the Lessfios Office of today.
Disable Authorizations on iPhone
Apple has been working on its operating systems to give greater control its users from the privacy of their iPhones. To change the settings enter the settings application and select the privacy menu. Select the Tracking option and set it to off. This will force applications that need to track the user to notify them when necessary., but turned off by default ensures that no app shares data with companies for marketing purposes.
You can also turn off the “Personalised Ads” option in the Apple Advertising option (Advertising) and thus prevent the manufacturer from using information about you to “impose” advertising and personalized services on you. If you do not want to participate in the product improvement program by accessing your data, you can choose Analytics & Improvements and turn off the Share iPhone Analytics option, so that device information is not sent to Apple. Is for to avoid sharing geodata with Apple Maps, select Location Services and tap System Services and turn off iPhone Analytics and Routing & Traffic.
Disable permissions on Google services
Google also uses user data to improve and power its products, such as Search, Maps or simply YouTube, services linked to Google accounts. To change your account's privacy settings you don't even need a smartphone, you can access the address My activity (My activity) and manage shared data.
When you enter the page, you are likely to have the three main categories enabled: Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History. It means that you will always be sharing data with the services, you should therefore limit and shorten the time you access your data.
You can do this by viewing the gallery below.
1 – Enter each option (open a new tab so you don’t get lost).
2 – Under Web and Application Activity you will find two options, Save activity and Automatic deletion (which should be disabled by default).
3 – If you go to Save activity, you can simply deactivate this history of your online activity and applications. Or, you can select one of Google's services and take individual actions for each one.
4 – When entering Automatic deletion, the option to not automatically delete the activity must be activated by default. In that case, change to one of the available deadlines. The smallest is 90 days up to 36 months. Whichever you choose, you can always delete the activity manually.
5 – The same is valid for the following options. By selecting Location History you can deactivate but also access the automatic deletion period.
6 – In the YouTube history, in addition to being able to deactivate, you can choose filters such as including the videos you watch, searches or voice and audio activity. You can also set the time for automatic deletion.
Disable permissions on Facebook
You can also modify privacy settings in settings directly from your page. CCertain settings are enabled to make it easier for your friends and family to find you on the social network. However, they can be used by companies to find potential customers.
Thus, you can define who can see future publications to friends only or who can see the profiles and pages of the people you follow. It is important that you change who can see the friends list, also to protect other contacts from “snoopers”.
In general, check these options carefully, looking for a balance between not being bothered by advertising sources or even malicious activities like friend requests from strangers, but not becoming a digital hermit.
Access Windows privacy settings
Microsoft uses user data in Windows that can both be used to improve the operating system, but also help websites and advertising agencies to access precious user information.
To access Windows privacy options, go to Settings and click on Privacy. You will have access to several switches related to the personalization of ads based on application activity (must be turned off). But there are also other options you should consider like allowing websites to provide locally relevant content via language; the use of data to improve search results and initiation; or show suggested content in the Settings app.
___________________________________
That was today's MenosFios office, where we show you how you can change the privacy settings of Apple, Google, Facebook and Windows. Now, we ask our readers to comment on them and to contribute with additional information they deem necessary on this same topic.
Any and all questions you would like to see answered here should be posted on the exclusive communication channel dedicated to the Menos Fios office.
We are talking about the email created for this purpose: [email protected]. This is the only reception point for the questions you send us. Use it to send us your questions, doubts or problems. Your answer will come out very soon.
