If you’re an iPhone user, it’s time to be aware of two sneaky settings that could be sharing your personal data with third-party apps and websites.
These settings allow companies to gather information to target ads at you and track your engagement with those ads.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your privacy.
How to Disable Privacy Risks in Safari
One of the settings that could be putting your data at risk is found in Safari.
By default, Safari shares information about the ads you view and click on, without specifically linking that data to you.
Although Apple claims that these reports are designed to protect your privacy, if you’re concerned about your data being shared with third-party sites, you’ll want to turn off this feature.
To disable it, open your Settings app, scroll down to “Safari,” and then tap “Advanced” at the bottom.
From there, you’ll see an option for “Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement.”
Toggle this off to stop Safari from sharing your information with other websites.
Managing Tracking Settings for Better Privacy
The next setting to address is tracking, which links information from different apps, websites, and third parties that identify you or your device.
This data is typically used for targeted advertising.
To prevent apps from tracking you, go back to the main Settings menu, tap on “Privacy & Security,” then select “Tracking.”
There, you’ll find a toggle labeled “Allow Apps to Request to Track” – make sure to turn this off.
If you want to be extra cautious, scroll down to see a full list of apps and check that the tracking toggle is turned off for each one.
This is an important step in ensuring that no apps are collecting data about you without your consent.
The Hidden Risks of Apple’s AI Integration
In addition to the settings in Safari and tracking, there’s also Apple’s new AI integration, which raises concerns about data privacy.
Apple Intelligence, introduced in October, embeds itself in your iPhone’s operating system, allowing it to pull data from apps and perform actions within them.
This means the AI has access to some of your private information.
There is a way to block Apple Intelligence from accessing sensitive data.
To do so, go to the “Apple Intelligence & Siri” tab in your settings.
There, you’ll find options like “Learn from this App,” “Suggest App,” and “Suggest Notifications” that are likely turned on by default.
Turning off these settings will help protect your private information from being accessed by Apple Intelligence.
Protecting Your Personal Data in Health and Financial Apps
Experts also recommend turning off data-sharing features for Health and Fitness apps.
Otherwise, Apple Intelligence could gain access to your health data, which some users may find unsettling.
While Apple’s privacy page assures users that their data is not stored, the AI still uses that data to create personalized experiences based on your habits.
If you don’t want your financial apps or location data to be used by Apple Intelligence, you can follow the same steps Chip Hallett recommended in his TikTok video.
He suggests going to your settings, selecting “Apple Intelligence & Siri,” and scrolling down to find apps like your banking apps.
There, you can turn off options that allow Apple Intelligence to learn from your activity.
Is Apple Intelligence Really Safe?
Although Apple claims that the data collected by Apple Intelligence is encrypted and only used for personalized experiences, many users are still concerned about the potential risks.
Apple emphasizes that this data is processed in their “Private Cloud Compute” system and is never stored or accessible to Apple itself.
However, it’s always a good idea to stay vigilant and make sure your privacy settings are properly configured.
For those with iPhone 15 or newer models, Apple Intelligence is part of the system.
While it’s designed to help users with generative AI tasks like creating text or images, it still learns from the data within apps on your device.
If you’re concerned about your privacy, it’s important to take these steps to limit the data that’s shared.
By following these tips, iPhone users can better protect their personal information and take control over what data is shared with third-party apps and websites.
Stay informed and make sure your privacy settings are set up to match your preferences.