This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 23, 2021 - August 29, 2021

Sadly, this is not true.

• Our phones are connected to cell towers. By using “triangulation”, telecommunications operators can estimate the location of a phone user. This has been used by authorities to track the location of wanted individuals.

• In 2018, researchers from Princeton University found that apps can collect data from sensors and sensory data in the phone (such as time zone, gyroscope and accelerometer). The data can be put together to pinpoint the exact location of the smartphone owner. 

• Researchers from Northeastern University in Boston also conducted similar research on Android users, who were tracked via a flashlight app. Google responded and said that its latest operating system restricts access to sensors.

• What can you do about this? Only download proper apps from authorised stores, periodically clear the cache, memory and unused apps from your phone, and make sure your phone operating system is up to date. You can also change the location permission settings in your phone for each app. Only turn on your GPS when you need it.

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