The classic novel 1984 could easily be renamed 2022: A Documentary. Invasive, high-tech tracking is no longer the stuff of science fiction, it is a daily reality.
Why are big companies so desperate to track, gather info, or even predict our every move? Their goal is to trick us into giving them our info in exchange for their “free” services.
History shows the most valuable commodities are always either given away by the unwary or taken from the unprepared. In 2022, information is that commodity.
Big companies want your data and will do nearly anything to get you to part with it. They want information about you so they can sell it or convince you to part with your money willingly.
We are doing all we can to prepare for an uncertain future, but we have to be aware and stop the techno-tracking taking place. When we know who is doing the tracking, as well as how and why they are tracking us, we can take action against them.
Related: 10 Things You Should Do To Stop The Government From Tracking You
Let’s examine how apps get information from us and determine which apps are the worst offenders. Specifically, we’ll examine the 5 apps that know the most about you.
How Do These Apps Get Your Information?
Big tech firms provide their apps at no cost.
Apps are free because they harvest your data as a fee for the use of the app.
When you download an app, you are told what information the app will harvest in countless pages of lawyer-speak.
Almost invariably, without giving them permission to harvest data, you cannot use the app.
Some types of data apps harvest include: contacts, search history, financial info, face and voice recognition, location, pets, hobbies, and weight and height.
Why Companies Sell Data
52% of companies sell the data they collect. Companies sell this harvested data because other companies want to know what potential customers think and can optimize their marketing to get you to purchase their product.
For example, if you have your favorite coffee company’s app on your phone and a local grocer nearby knows that people in the community often shop after getting coffee, they will buy your data from the coffee company.
This data will let them know when you are most frequently getting coffee, your financial info, location data, and your email address. Then, on the day you’re most likely to buy coffee, they will email you coupons for products in hopes of luring you into their grocery store.
Using Data To Teach A Computer
Machine learning is a complex technology leveraged against us. 80% of apps use your data to market their own products in the app by utilizing machine learning.
Related: If You Own A Mobile Phone This Is What The Government, Google & Facebook Know About You
Via machine learning, a program is fed information about us in an attempt to accurately predict the decisions we will make. The more information it has, the more accurate the predictions.
Perhaps you’ve been thinking about buying a product and the next thing you know, you see the product in an ad on an app or web browser.
The advertisers aren’t reading your mind; they just have enough of your data to predict what you want to buy and when you want to buy it.
OfferUp
Many of us use this app to connect with others and purchase goods at reasonable prices.
While useful, do not conclude that this app is innocuous and harmless.
It collects over 20% of all the data it legally can.
Frequently, apps request your location data, even when not in use. However, OfferUp will not allow you to use their app without giving them your address.
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Netflix
Netflix is where millions get their entertainment on a daily basis.
Unlike most of the apps on this list, it is a paid service.
Even though you pay to use it, they still collect a ton of data about you, including your voice for recognition services.
Netflix collects nearly 27% of all the data they legally can.
They claim to use your data to improve your experience and provide more customized recommendations. However, the truth is that they disclose or share personal information with other companies, agents, or contractors.
YouTube And Google Maps
These two apps are part of the same company so they are lined up together in our ranking.
Every time you search for a video on YouTube, 42% of your personal data is sent elsewhere. This data goes on to determine the types of advertisements you’ll see before and during videos.
Both of these apps collect about 23% of all available data which includes information about your location and hobbies.
One especially dystopian aspect of Google Maps is that it uses image recognition while tracking your location.
Related: 5 Maps You Should Have At Home
These two apps know you better than you know yourself.
Meta (Facebook/Instagram)
There is a tie for the number 1 spot of the apps that know everything about you and the reason is they are both operated by the same company, Meta.
Facebook collects 79.49% and Instagram collects over 69% of all the legally accessible data they can get their hands on.
Meta has some of the most powerful algorithms in the world when it comes to customizing engagement, aka – they know how to get and keep your attention.
Therefore, they are also some of the most frequently used apps based on daily usage.
The 5 Apps That Know Everything About You Are Only The Tip Of The Iceberg
While these 5 notable apps collect all the information they can about you, there are countless other apps that collect 10-28% of available information about you and use it in all sorts of ways.
Chances are, many of them are on your phone right now.
What Can You Do To Protect Yourself From Data Harvesting?
Well, you’ve already taken step one which is figuring out who, how, and why your data is being harvested. Ideally, research every app you have on your phone or are thinking about downloading and determine how much data it is collecting on you.
The next step is to delete as many of these invasive apps as possible. There are plenty of ways to connect with friends, share private information, and enjoy entertainment that does not involve becoming a commodity for greedy companies to profit from.
In the surveillance world that we live in, the only apps that don’t track you are the ones you don’t install on your device.
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most phone companies now don’t allow one to delete some of these apps (I try to disable them constantly!)
Use Universal Android Debloater
You can try and hide, but they already have you. If you went anywhere, there are cameras, then they have you. The best thing is to stop, posting crap about every living thing that you do. Go Grey…
If you have noticed that your phone and any camera now has a Sqaure that comes up and IDENTIFIES your face, Called Facial Recognition.
Why do you think Face Book and all the other social media sites are out there.
They were created to retrieve your info and build a data base on every living person on earth.
That will be the only way the Anti Christ will be able to rule over all the nations.
Remember a computer cannot, no you, UNLESS you are a number.
If you ask a computer who is John Doe the computer cannot identified you as John Doe, but if you have a number, then you are identified by That number, Now the computer will know you as #12345 John Doe…
NOW “you are identified”…
It’s a Tsunami, of, I WANT to be in CONTROL…
IT’s getting closer…
Well, I have never used SM (Facebook and the like).
Haven’t had a phone in years.
No credit card either.
So, what useful data are they going to get?
Oh and the computer I use has no camera or microphone.
Inside my vehicle is PRIVATE PROPERTY and therefore it is supposed to be illegal to monitor what you do in your private property.
Watch out for carpal tunnel syndrome, as you hit all those thumps up signs for your own postings.
YOU:
Then, post something that is worth posting, something that someone can learn by and use for a survival scenario. Then you too can give yourself thumbs up. If that is the problem. You can see there is more down then up, mainly due to trolls… BUT…
NO one gives a CRAP about thumbs up or down, So post something other then, that crap.
I haven’t seen anything yet…
I know that big tech is not our friend and somethings on my phone won’t let me get rid of them. I have heard in the past about devices spying on people and I didn’t doubt it. I just recently got a new S20 and the damn thing is listening to me because every once in a while it says ” I didn’t get that, can you repeat it?” and I can’t delete that function from my phone. I wonder what else is spying on us. Am I getting paranoid 🤔
No, you are not paranoid.
You are just waking up.
Good job…
Snowden said on the Joe Rogan podcast that if you can’t disconnect the battery, then they can access everything, as well as listen and turn your camera on
Disable the permissions for those apps you think might be listening in on you. My wife can talk about something and then see advertisements or emails regarding that very subject. Tell me they aren’t listening.
That happens to my husband and I all the time. At first I thought I was imagining it but sure enough it pulls up stuff we were just talking about. So crazy.
So how do you disable anything? Being from a much earlier generation, I don’t understand these darn things, let alone how to disable their functions.
Nope!!!! My phone w/Google does that as well but,I can stop that just by turning it off. Think its call Google assistant.
Mr. Stouder, A hammer is a good start. The bigger the better.
You can disable Bixby, not sure it won’t still listen but it won’t talk back. Mine did that randomly all the time so I disabled it. Doesn’t happen now. No you’re not being paranoid!
I hate phones … landlines, cell, I hate them all. I would much rather talk to someone in person, or email than use the phone. Hence when I have to use a phone I use a landline. My son, concerned about his aging father getting stuck, and having no means to call for help … got me a cell phone. 99% of the time, it sits in my office next to my computer. It leaves the house, when I am going on an extended trip … for an emergency, and only as a phone. I prefer duck duck go over google, and even with social media … NEVER answer questions from anonymous memes or people I don’t know.
Duck Duck Go collects data all the time. They advertise that they are concerned with your privacy but they are lying. Brave might be a better choice.
Is Brave an internet browser? I have never heard of it.
Sometime the computer will communicate with your cell phone, if they are next to each other.
Some people, when traveling with a phone, will turn it off (though, it never really is completely off) and put inside a faraday bag.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a land line these days? Tried to get one for my sister-in-law and couldn’t find one that serviced our area (zip 46750).
Freespoke is the best one. The icon is a torch light like from the Statue of Liberty. The last one I used was duck duck and then I found out they were selling information too.
Well everyone, Are used to use DuckDuckGo until I found out they sold out to Google. I’m looking into getting an E foundation phone now
I didn’t have honk it was Google. It is Microsoft
Didn’t think. Forgot to proof read
I just got a postcard in the mail for a new browser called Brave. It says it is a browser that is built to be privacy-safe (as stated by Forbes). You can get it at: brave.com/mydata.
I haven’t checked it out yet, but it is at least worth a look-see! 🙊 🙉 🙊
Brave is built on the Chromium platform, like most of the other so-called alternatives. It will be as compromised as anything else. It’s also difficult to download and install cleanly. Certainly use it if you can if you want to remove ad tracking, but you may find that it’s more of a pain in the ass than it’s worth. The only truly secure browser is Tor, but that is also a pain as it is incredibly slow. The ideal suite is DuckDuckGo via Tor Browser over VPN…if you aren’t impatient. Even with that, you wouldn’t know if your machine itself is compromised and just transmitting screen images and keylogs to the fascists anytime they want via backdoors. The only secure comms is no comms.
I only use GoogleMaps out of all those. And I only use it if I’m in a strange town looking for an address. Last time I used it was in February and time before that October.
please tell me a good google free phone!!! I know they are out there
A couple of years ago, I started purchasing products from MOS equipment aka Mission Darkness. ( I wouldn’t purchase the product off of Amazon.) It’s less expensive purchasing directly to the Mfg. also you receive a warranty through MOS. MOS’ even sells the material if you want to possibly block your TV and other large items as well. The phone device works great especially while traveling. (I’ve had it tested by LE and Govt. employees.) Zero GPS tracking or information gathering. Also, those of you that have a push button start system to your vehicles, they offer FOB protectors. I’m impressed with the product. Some items are pricey and some are not. But, that’s how I protect myself now. Cell phone goes into the waterproof MD/MOS bag, laptop into its case, TV is covered etc… (Any and all electronic devices.) If someone calls you, they will not be able to get ahold of you, so the best time to utilize it is at night or while traveling. Let those that are important to you, family and friends, be aware that they cannot get ahold of you. It’s that simple.
FTA or fuck them all. go live in a cabin in the mtns. Real friends will visit, others will call you a hermit.
This is crazy. This is why I started using You.com as my search engine, more privacy with great results. No ads either. I have their android app and I think they have one for the iPhone too.
Google and Meta don’t matter, what matters is that the NSA sucks up every electronic communication you make and stores it in a supercomputer complex in Bluffdale, Utah.
One especially dystopian aspect of Google Maps is that it uses image recognition while tracking your location.
Start wearing Biden masks then….
The mapping function notes where traffic is backed up or going along at speed. They do that by tracking all the phones that everyone has in their cars.
What bothers even more, is that I can’t go for a walk any longer without everyone’s ring camera on their porches being pointed toward the sidewalk. My neighbor’s camera is aimed at my driveway so every trip I take in my car is recorded. A few weeks ago, the cat and dog came ripping in fear toward the house from the far back corner of my land. The back neighbors had a drone close to the fence. It was buzzing about 20 feet above the fence.
That’s why they invented shotguns.
all of the above, and more
Realistically, it really doesn’t matter a damn what they collect via these means. In terms of impact to your life it just means the ads you will be bombarded with anyway are more targeted…me, I’ve got a blind spot for all advertisements no matter where they are – billboards, junk mail or on-screen. The only time I may take notice is if I’m already looking for something specific and then I’m happy to include advertised items in my ‘to check out’ list if appropriate, after all it’s one less item I have to hunt for…but that’s no guarantee of a purchase.
Don’t kid yourself that the government as well as big business don’t know the colour of your shit in the morning…but that’s always been the case throughout history, it’s just more efficient and pervasive nowadays. In fact this can be an advantage in many ways as unless you are doing something fundamentally stupid and red-flagging yourself, you will just end up as noise in the countless billions of other data points. Suddenly ‘going grey’ is just going to make you stand out. If you want true privacy, just be yourself online and keep private conversations and activities away from devices. Oh, and if you can’t remove a phone battery, just pop it into a homemade faraday cage…they’re pretty much useless for EMP protection regardless of what people like to think, but good for blocking mobile signals.
Don’t be fooled that there are “SAFE” alternatives out there, they’re all corrupted.
I really got a kick out of the article and all the comments.
If the government wants to find you they will.
Do you have a bank account? Do you use the internet? Do you have a cell phone? Are you connected to the grid in any way (elect, water, etc)? Do you go to a doctor, hospital, or dentist? I think you get the drift ! If you are alive or dead and they really want to know where you are they will find you, If you DO NOT totally isolate yourself and live totally off the grid and squat on someone else’s land and not get caught because if you own the land you pay taxes and they know where you are, if you get a hunting license, drivers license or do anything except live in a cave and do absolutely nothing they can find you and then if they want you bad enough they will find that cave. And even then if you think not they can if they really want you. But then again if you are not doing anything wrong who cares? HAHA just had to laugh as when I got to the bottom of this form it asks you for all the information the Gov. needs to find you and everyone that posted here filled it out. Good thing I’m not paranoid. Heck they know all about me anyway as I served and get SS.
79%
That is the percentage of boomers on this site who have never heard of an app. They use flippy phones still and still have those giant block shaped monitors..You better off writing an article on which subsonic round makes least amount of noise out of a suppressed. 22lr for squirrel hunting in semi suburban areas.
If you ask a computer, “Who is John Doe?” it cannot identify you as John Doe; yet, if you have a number, the computer can now identify you as John Doe because of that number.
This is what I am talking a bout, Rewords cards , just another way to track you,
like waving a cookie in front of a starving dog.
When they ask me if I have one , I just tell them . The Government has lots of ways to trick you
so they know where you have been,
Food stores, auto part stores, Kuik trip, let a lone your credit card, Cell phone. I-pass, Walmart cameras, when you check out, Drones, Wire taping your phone, Your flat screen TV, When you turn it off, They can see you and hear you, Built in 2 cameras ,Two speakers or when you have the tv on, Those new energy light bulbs that save energy, When I found this out I replace them with the old light bulb Trump brought back. Some local hardware stores carry them. If you have a $100 bill they can drive by your house knowing you have one by the blue mark it has on it, But your money in a lead box, , Rap your cell phone in tin foil , When you buy a new car they have a tracking device on them , Or truck, But the dealer will not tell you that, I still have the old tub tv, Just for my VCR And DVDS No tv, Will never own a flat screen We have 4 of them old tub tvs, Because every one wanted to up grade . , And gave them to me. . , I took them with open arms and even have one from the 60s that still works, Still use a flip phone you can take the battery out of, .
When not in use I take it out. And rap it, Don’t call me, I will call you. Stay quit , Stay safe
From the old school, You stand by your word , The loyalty between people and friends , Respect , It seams there trying to destroy this, and the greed has took over,
No need to be greedy, Your taking nothing with you when GOD comes to call.
Ever seen a Hers pulling a U haul.
Lone wolf
Your right man , They could find you in a dust storm.
Some times I have drones over my house at night
So I let them know that I know they are there
Set on the deck and open up a cold one.
People that do not have enough to do with there time,
Then I must be the most quit a guy for them to be watching me.
I feel that people like that can not be that creative or smart,,
Dumb asses that could not find there way out of a paper bag.
As for tracking your truck or car, look in you owners manual.
The fuse section.
Check that box and check to see were a fuse should no be and if there one in there
Its a good chance you found your tracing device,
Pull it out and see if the car or truck will start back up and also check to find out what else it might be connected to., I found one in my truck.
It had five prongs on it, and there was not to be any thing in that space ,
It said empty in the manual .
Its empty now and the truck still runs with out it,
I am fortunate to reside in upper New York, where birch trees are common. I appreciate you sharing this with us because I learned a lot from it.