Who is watching? From the screens to the streets.
Advertising firms are following in the footsteps of Minority Report using hi-tech surveillance techniques. Facial detection algorithms are being aggregated with contemporary data collection and management methods to model exactly who will pass by a billboard and when, in order to show the ‘right’ adverts at the ‘right’ time to the ‘right’ audience.
Big Brother Watch’s investigation into surveillance in advertising has found that millions of phones in the UK are being monitored by intrusive advertising firms using GPS location tracking methods. Mobile phone networks are creating and selling large datasets based on surveillance of their customers.
Companies extract data from phones to profile customers and alter everyday interactions with the world. This is a huge assault on our freedoms. Every British citizen and resident must have the right to protect their privacy from profit-hungry corporations.
Here is a quick and easy step-by-step guide to protect your phone from being tracked and monitored by data-harvesting advertising firms.
iPhone Users
- Open “Settings” and click on “Privacy”
- In the Privacy menu, scroll down and click on “ Apple Advertising”
- Toggle “Personalised Ads” to OFF (grey)
- Press “Privacy” in the top left corner and scroll up to “Tracking”.
- Toggle OFF “Allow Apps to Request to Track”
- Press “Privacy” in the top left corner, click on “Location Services” and either turn OFF or review which apps can use your location and when – only let apps you trust use your location
Please note, some of the steps outlined above could vary depending upon your version of iOS.
Additional tips
Always use the “hide my email” option if using Apple ID to sign in to applications. If any app asks for permission to use your location click “no” unless you trust it and there is a good reason for it, such as getting directions. Even then, you may wish to consider only allowing your location to be used while you use the app.
Android Users
- Open Settings
- Go to Google and in the menu that shows up, select “Ads”
- Turn ON “Opt out of Ad personalisation”
- Tap “Reset advertising ID” to create a new identifier for your phone that now has a do not track request. There may also be a button here to disable personalised ads, if so click it.
- Return to settings and find “Privacy” or “Security & Privacy”.
- In this menu find location settings and scroll down to system services
- Tap system services and turn “Location Based Ads” OFF
- While using your phone be careful to only give permissions for apps to use your location when necessary and read their terms to see how your data is used.
- If any app asks for permission to track or share your data with third parties, click no unless you have a good reason not to.
Please note that some of these steps may vary based on the version of Android installed on your phone.
General tips
Try to read the terms of apps you use and deny permissions unless you trust the app and know how it plans to use your data.
The digital world creates surveillance traps in the name of convenience and speed. This is not the first time that large corporations are using data and artificial intelligence to alter our everyday experiences—from buying groceries to calling a cab—into profit-making business use-cases which are calculated and curated. To break out of these traps, we must continue to learn about ways to protect our privacy online, to protect our lives offline.
We hope this guide is useful to you.
To join us in our fight to protect privacy and civil liberties, follow this link: Become a Big Brother Watch Supporter — Big Brother Watch