Best Ways to Protect Privacy on Android

If you are worried about your personal security in the digital world, you have to know how to increase the level of privacy. This article helps you to learn the basics of Android security and how to raise it. To stay active online you don’t need to share everything with Google, despite the offers it sends to you.

There are literally tons of software that Google releases on Android. Yet, this software is not as free as we believe. We pay with the personal data that the company gathers. Based on everything it received from us for at least a year, Google can describe our lives in detail. It is impossible to close the gates to all data Google needs from you, but you can significantly limit its options.

No more personalization

Google says that providing the required personal data opens you access to all its services you need. However, you still can use its features and have limited access to your information on your Google Account. Here is how you can do it:

1. Open Settings, and go to Privacy. You will see the Activity controls, press it;
2. Choose the Google account you currently use;
3. Switch off the Web and App Activity option. You need to keep in mind, that the results you see on Google will be less specific or personalized;
4. You can switch off the Location History. It will allow you to stop Google from tracking your steps. This move will stop the Your Timeline feature so you would not be able to check your own history of trips;
5. You can also get rid of Ad personalization, which usually is not that important for users. To do it, press Go to Ad Settings. Toggle it off. It will not offer you fewer ads, but they will not be that weirdly personal. Moreover, these ads will not constantly chase you whenever you go online.

Tracking the location

You don’t want to have Google watching you constantly. Besides, Google can easily exchange your locations with its apps and even third parties. This is why it is important to check your settings and limit the access to locations:

1. Go to Settings, find Privacy there;
2. Pick the Permissions manager option and tap Location;
3. In this manager you will see numerous options which you can take under your control;
4. Pick Allowed all the time, Allowed only while in use, and Denied, based on your preferences.

Most apps don’t need access to your current location. However, if you are using navigator, you have to grant it to the app. In this case, you have to make sure that this app is trustable and doesn’t share your personal data with other apps.

Forget about backups

Backups are something you may need if you want to save the information on several devices or in the cloud storage. Yet, sometimes Google’s apps use them without your knowledge. You can easily drop them off by following the next steps:

1. Go to the Settings and open System;
2. There you will find the Backup option;
3. Toggle off the Back up to Google Drive.

Once you do this, the data will not automatically be gathered by Google. Make sure you do backups of the information from your device you need to use in the future or want to save. You don’t need to share phone numbers with Google, but you may want to keep important documents saved several times in the storage you trust the most. It can be a private server or a popular cloud storage service.

Protect Your Privacy on Android

You don’t have to use extra measures to increase the safety level if you are not bothered by numerous personalized ads or the way Google tracks your steps. If you don’t need it, you can turn off services. You can always go back whenever you want it.

Have you ever felt that Google watches you? Do you use cloud storage to keep your data? Express your thoughts about it in the comments below.