There are over one billion smartphones in use today – an enormous number and approximately one sixth of the world’s population. But are they just glorified trackers?
Smartphones are powerful tools enabling us to do all sorts of things while on the go. However, they can also track your every move and scoop up reams of personal information – without you knowing anything about it. If your phone has its geo-location services switched on, it most certainly will be monitoring your journeys. Even if it’s switched off but you’re hooked up to the internet via a Wi-Fi signal you can still be tracked.
There are plenty of apps that persistently monitor your movements even when they’re not fired up. Of course you may say, and many do, that you’ve got nothing to hide, but this surreptitious mass surveillance is undermining privacy.
Take a look at this infographic from antivirus and mobile security expert, BullGuard, for a visualisation of exactly how your location data is being used and what you can do about it.
