Do you want to prevent apps on your smartphone from secretly listening in on you? Then adjust these settings as soon as possible!
Apps are listening
Do you ever talk to friends about a certain product, which you later see in the form of an advertisement on your iPhone? In that case, it does not immediately mean that apps on your smartphone have been listening in. Advertisements are based on previous search results, so there is a good chance that you will see well-known products in personalized advertisements. These are also more likely to be noticed because you are familiar with the product or service advertised.
However, it is not impossible that apps on your smartphone are listening in on you. In most cases, apps are even given permission to do this when you install them. When you use an application for the first time, you give the software access to certain parts of your phone. These are, for example, the location services, but also the microphone of your device. Do you want to prevent apps from listening in? Then disable the following setting.
@iphonednl Did you know that APPS use your iPhone microphone and listen in all day long?! Protect your privacy and turn this setting OFF NOW! For those who went too quickly: 1️⃣ Settings 2️⃣ Privacy & security 3️⃣ Microphone 🎤 4️⃣ Turn OFF suspicious apps 🚫 🔒 More privacy. Less risk. 🪄 #iphonetips #privacy #apps #iphone #techtok ♬ Blade Runner 2049 – Synthwave Goose
Manage access to the microphone
Certain apps on your smartphone need access to your microphone. For example, WhatsApp requires access to record voice messages and the Photos app requires access to create images with sound. In many applications it is not necessary to grant access to the microphone, although in some cases you may be asked to do so. Therefore, check carefully which apps can use the microphone. This is how you see it on your iPhone:
- Open ‘Settings’ on your iPhone;
- Go to ‘Privacy and security’;
- Choose ‘Microphone’;
- Finally, select the applications that will access the microphone.
This list shows you which apps on your iPhone currently have or do not have access to the device’s microphone. Check carefully which applications can currently use the microphone. Does an app have access to the microphone when it doesn’t need to? Then turn off the switch behind the name of the app, this way you prevent apps on your smartphone from eavesdropping.
More iPhone tips
You don’t have to worry that apps on your smartphone are actually continuously listening in. The microphone often only responds to a voice command such as ‘Hey, Siri’ or another voice assistant. Have you activated the voice assistant? Only then will the application listen in. Any other information captured by the microphone may not be used by companies, which is prohibited by law in the Netherlands.
Personalized advertisements are therefore based on other information, such as your search behavior on Google or a website you have previously visited. Do you want to be completely sure that apps on your smartphone are not listening in? It is then advisable to disable access to the microphone in the majority of applications. Check out more useful tips here so you can get even more out of your iPhone:
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This way you prevent apps on your smartphone from (secretly) listening in on you
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