Just got the new I Phone 16? Mastering Privacy on iPhone: 14 Steps to Block Apple’s Tracking and Protect Your Data

Posted on by Esther White

Learn how to disable invasive features and take control of your personal information on iOS 16-17-18

If you’re concerned about privacy on your iPhone, there are several steps you can take to disable features that may feel invasive. Here’s a rundown of what to disable:

1. Disable Location Services

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
  • Toggle off Location Services to stop all apps from tracking your location, or you can control location access for each app individually.

2. Limit Ad Tracking

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising.
  • Turn off Personalized Ads to reduce Apple’s ability to serve you targeted ads.

3. Stop Apps from Tracking You

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
  • Toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track. This prevents apps from asking to track your activity across other apps and websites.

4. Disable Analytics Sharing

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.
  • Toggle off all options here to stop Apple from collecting usage data from your device.

5. Turn Off Siri Data Collection

  • Go to Settings > Siri & Search.
  • Disable Listen for “Hey Siri” and Press Side Button for Siri if you don’t want Siri listening or activated by mistake.
  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > and turn off Improve Siri & Dictation.

6. Disable Significant Locations

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations.
  • Toggle off this feature, which logs places you visit frequently.

7. Turn Off iPhone Analytics

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.
  • Turn off Share iPhone Analytics and Share with App Developers.

8. Limit Access to Microphone and Camera

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone or Camera.
  • Disable access to apps that you don’t want using your microphone or camera.

9. Turn Off Personalized Content

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising and turn off Personalized Ads.
  • Also, go to Settings > App Store and toggle off Personalized Recommendations.

10. Disable Background App Refresh

  • Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
  • Toggle it off for apps or completely disable it to stop apps from refreshing data in the background when you’re not using them.

11. Disable iCloud Backups

  • If you want to keep your data off of iCloud, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
  • Toggle off iCloud Backup to prevent your phone from backing up data to iCloud.

12. Disable Handoff and Continuity

  • Go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff.
  • Turn off Handoff to prevent sharing activities between iPhone and other Apple devices.

13. Use a VPN

  • You can use a VPN app to further mask your online activity and improve privacy from third-party tracking.

14. Disable App Store Automatic Downloads

  • Go to Settings > App Store.
  • Toggle off App Updates and Automatic Downloads to stop automatic installation of apps or updates.

These steps will significantly reduce Apple’s data collection and third-party app tracking, giving you more control over your privacy.

Related Posts

Male fetal progenitor cells persist in maternal blood for as long as 27 years postpartum. (Microchimerism resulting from multiple sexual male partners)

New Study Reveals Long-Term Presence of Fetal Cells in Mothers’ Blood

A groundbreaking study has uncovered a surprising aspect of pregnancy biology: male fetal cells can persist in a mother’s bloodstream for decades after giving birth to a son. This revelation comes from research conducted on 32 pregnant women and 8 nonpregnant women who had previously delivered male infants, spanning a wide range of postpartum intervals from 6 months to an astonishing 27 years.

Using advanced flow cytometry and PCR techniques, scientists isolated and examined mononuclear cells from these women’s blood samples. They specifically targeted cells expressing CD antigens associated with fetal progenitor cells. The presence of Y chromosome sequences, detected via PCR, confirmed the persistence of male fetal cells in maternal circulation.

The study found that male DNA was present in 13 out of 19 pregnant women carrying male fetuses. Intriguingly, male DNA was also detected in 4 out of 13 pregnancies where the fetus was female, indicating that fetal cells from previous pregnancies can endure in maternal blood long after birth.

Nonpregnant women who had previously given birth to males showed similar findings: male DNA persisted in CD34+CD38+ cells in 6 out of 8 cases, even up to 27 years postpartum.

These findings challenge traditional views on maternal-fetal biology and genetic inheritance. They suggest that pregnancy may establish a long-term, low-grade chimeric state in women, akin to microchimerism observed in other species. The implications of these persistent fetal cells for maternal health, reproductive biology, and diagnostic practices warrant further investigation.

This study opens new avenues for understanding the lasting impact of pregnancy on women’s bodies and calls for continued research into its broader implications for health and genetics.