Turn "Do Not Track" on or off - Android (2024)

FAQs

Should I turn Do Not Track on or off? ›

Whether you should turn "do not track" on or off depends on your privacy preference. Turning it on indicates you don't want to be tracked while turning it off implies you're okay with being tracked for advertising and analytics.

When you browse the web on computers or Android devices, you can send a request to websites not to collect or track your browsing data. It's turned off by default. However, what happens to your data depends on how a website responds to the request.

It is a way the browser communicates to a website that the user has opted out of tracking. When a user enables this feature, the browser sends a signal to websites that the user visits to not store cookies on their device. Do Not Track is a request and not a legal requirement.

If you choose Ask App Not to Track, the app developer can't access the system advertising identifier (IDFA), which is often used to track. The app is also not permitted to track your activity using other information that identifies you or your device, like your email address.

It's always recommended to turn off app tracking whenever possible - and we explain detailed steps on how to disable app tracking on iPhone and Android if you scroll down to the end of this post.

Spyware (a portmanteau of 'spying software) and stalkerware can be installed on a phone without the owner's knowledge, allowing an attacker to steal information, track activity, and more. But how can you tell if someone has installed spyware on your device?

If you think your phone is being tracked, check for suspicious apps that you don't remember installing, check your phone app usage for anything you don't recognize, and look for any strange increases in network activity. Use an anti-spyware tool that can search your device for signs that your phone is infected.

How do I stop sites from tracking me? ›

While web tracking isn't necessarily malicious, you may not want companies following everything you do online. Unfortunately, DNT is not an effective way to prevent online tracking, because DNT doesn't carry legal weight and was never widely adopted.

Can a phone be tracked if it's turned off? A phone that is turned off is difficult to track because it stops sending signals to cell towers. However, the service provider or internet provider can show the last location once it's switched back on.

The Tor browser, Brave, Firefox, Waterfox, Vivaldi, Puffin, and Pale Moon are web browsers that don't track you online. If you're looking for browsers that change your IP when online, then Tor and Startpage should do the trick.

Improve your digital privacy to avoid tracking

Turning off Location Services on your iPhone can help protect your privacy, but it also risks turning your device into a not-particularly-smart smartphone.

If you are concerned about privacy, it's best to turn off cross-site tracking. If you enable cross-site tracking, you should expect advertisers and third parties to follow your browsing habits across multiple websites, building detailed profiles that influence the ads and content you see online.

Turning off the location service on your phone can help conceal your location. This is important if you don't want third parties knowing where you are or being able to track your movement. However, a smartphone can still be tracked through other techniques that reveal its general location.

Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. The list shows the apps that requested permission to track you. You can turn permission on or off for any app on the list. To stop all apps from asking permission to track you, turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track (at the top of the screen).