How to use location apps without leaving a trail of data and getting followed everywhere you go

Location services, like maps and friend/family trackers, are undeniably handy tools – and most of us don’t think twice about using them to plan adventures, find workarounds to a high-traffic route, or check up on the whereabouts of our loved ones.

However, it's Data Privacy Week once again, meaning it's a good time to ponder the potential privacy risks of using these services, what can be done to limit how much they track us, and what happens to our most sensitive data afterward.

Keep reading, and I'll walk you through reclaiming your data privacy when using location services. We'll dig into the mechanics of location tracking services, which apps really need to know where you are, and scenarios when you should refrain from sharing your whereabouts in the first place.

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Are location services really data hungry?

Right off the bat, it's important to understand the mechanics of location tracking services. When you use a mapping app or a tracker, the service in question collects a lot of information (for which we're taken through a never-ending loop of granting consent), such as your live location, device information, routes you regularly take, your search history on the particular location service, etc.

This collection of this information is necessary and helpful, as it allows the app to run more efficiently. You get the benefits of easy navigation, including real-time travel directions, traffic updates, and predictions about the weather in your current region. However, this level of data collection also comes with its fair share of risks.

Google Maps, for instance, is very data-hungry. In addition to providing you with directions, it logs a lot of details about your movements, such as where you go, where you live, where you work, and even your preferred hangout spots.

This begs the question of whether such extensive data collection is really necessary for a service whose primary task is to offer directions.

After all, it’s potentially sensitive information that can be forked over to third parties, like advertisers and data brokers, and used to generate detailed user profiles which could then result in personalized ads and even involvement in data breaches.

With that said, Google has taken measures to address concerns about its data collection habits. For instance, in 2023, Google announced that data from the Timeline will be stored in the user’s phone rather than online, and if Location History is enabled, the history will be automatically deleted after three months.

Additionally, it's good practice to use Incognito mode when searching for locations on the map, as it prevents your searches from being saved to your Google Account. This also means that Google Maps won't include these searches in your location history or the list of shared locations.

One of the most important pro-privacy habits you can inculcate when it comes to tracking apps is to always investigate which permissions you’ve granted them. You can do so by going into your device's settings.

If you have an iOS device, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services, whereas Android users need to open Settings > Location > App Permission. From here, you can choose to grant or deny location access or toggle between whether you want the apps to track your location all the time (meaning even when they're running in the background) or only when they're in use.

Which apps really need access to your location data? 

Let's stick to broad categories here instead of individual brands. So, mapping apps, dating apps, rideshares, delivery services, and weather apps typically need access to your location data to work. Makes sense, right?

Additionally, streaming services may request your location to confirm that you're in a region where the particular content you're trying to access isn't blocked.

Certain games, too, may require your location to function, like Pokemon Go or PUBG – usually to facilitate location-based matchmaking.

Aside from these, any app that requests your location data should be scrutinized. Ask yourself whether it really needs to know where you are to function properly.

Examples include the camera app and social media apps. Why do they need to know your current location? Although some of their functions may use your whereabouts (geotagging the photos you take, for instance), it's not a necessity, so it's best if you decline their location access requests.

It's important to recognize the fact that your location data is a valuable commodity. It reveals a lot about your everyday behavior and preferences (such as the stores you visit or what kind of work you do).

Advertising companies can, therefore, use it to serve up extremely personalized ads to you and potentially share sensitive details with third parties without your consent.

When shouldn’t you share your location? 

You should always be careful when sharing your location, and it's important to remember that it's not all about whom you're sharing your location with but also the medium.

With that in mind, here are some instances when you'll be better off not sharing your location at all.

• Make sure you're not giving away your location details on any public forum, like social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.), live streams, etc.
• There's little to no point in sharing your location if you're in an indoor location. This is because mapping apps aren't as effective or accurate when you're not outside.
• Similarly, location sharing will also not work if you're out in nature away from the buzz (and technological infrastructure) of a city. Such remote areas will rarely have any cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity.
• If you're a parent or a guardian of a young teen, pay attention to the fact that your children aren't sharing their location with strangers or bullies (both online and offline). Although Google and Apple's built-in parental controls are quite effective, you can also consider getting dedicated parental control software to give you satisfactory control over your children's digital safety.