How to Stop Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile From Collecting Data From Your Phone to Sell Ads
Social networking sites, web browsers, and smartphone apps aren’t the only ways companies track your data: your phone provider also collects data directly from your phone. AT&T, T-Mobile (which now owns Sprint and MetroPCS), and Verizon track location, internet and app usage, and then use that information to sell ads.
Worse, carrier tracking is turned on by default for all users, and it happens even if you have App Tracking Transparency or Android Opt out of Ads Personalization turned on. These settings usually prevent apps from collecting certain data, but your carrier is tracking you through network activity rather than through the app, bypassing any device tracking disable settings.
Honestly, every phone company offers its customers the option to opt out, but they are so shy that most users probably don’t know they have the option, or that data collection is the default behavior to start with.
Verizon, for example, sends a boring random number text message that Inc points out looks like a phishing scam or low-rent malware attack, including the exact type of nondescript link that we constantly tell people not to click .
If you did open the link, however, it took you to the (now defunct) landing page, notifies you of the new tracking policy and gives you a chance to opt out. This information is still available in Verizon’s full privacy policy , and you can opt out of using the Verizon app by going to Settings> Manage Privacy Settings or by going to Account Settings on the Verizon website under Account> Settings account “>” Privacy Settings “ . Be sure to turn off the User Interface setting as well as any other marketing settings for each phone line listed.
Other major cellular service providers have sent out similar texts and emails from Verizon – the kind that most people are likely to immediately delete or ignore as spam. The good news is, it’s pretty easy to ditch data tracking methods if you know where to look.
T-Mobile explains how it uses your data in its privacy policy , but you should struggle to search for this information on its website. Luckily, as we said earlier, it’s pretty easy to turn off T-Mobile data tracking in your User Preferences. You can also submit Do Not Sell requests to T-Mobile, ask T-Mobile to delete the data it holds about you, and opt out of other marketing and advertising policies on the T-Mobile Privacy Center page .
Like the other two companies, AT&T explains how and why it tracks your data in the company’s privacy policy (spoiler alert: selling ads). You can opt out of your online account settings, but AT&T hides the link to go directly to the relevant options deep in the privacy center page.
Please note that opting out of tracking your provider’s data only affects how the provider tracks you; it does not change the data that applications on your phone can see . To minimize mobile data tracking, turn on the aforementioned iOS app tracking transparency and turn off ad personalization on Android , set up a reliable VPN , turn off location data, and select an app to watch with strict privacy controls .