While it’s possible to use your Android without a Google Account, but it significantly diminishes the experience and prevents you from getting automatic software updates, which is a serious security risk. As discussed in prior posts, protect your Google account with a strong password. Use two-factor authentication to access your account in the cloud, and enable automatic updates for Android and applications you downloaded from the Google Play Store. You’re sharing data with Google, but there’s little that can practically be done to prevent it.
One other bit of computer hygiene before we address privacy permissions. And over time, you may accumulate apps you installed to try out and then stopped using. I recommend you uninstall these apps. They’re clogging up your system and may pose a security risk. Delete apps on Android by going to “Settings > Apps > See all apps.” Tap on the application you want to delete. Select “Uninstall” and confirm by hitting “OK.”
The instructions to tighten up your privacy permissions vary by manufacturer. Consider the following:
- Review which apps use your location and disable location services for those which you believe do not require it.
- Review and limit which apps use your “Contacts,” “Photos,” “Microphone,” and “Camera.” Apps that use these services for surveillance can be particularly invasive.
- Opt out of Google ad personalization and reset the advertising ID.
- Consider disabling Voice Access. It’s collecting more data about you than you know.
- Don’t jailbreak your phone. This creates significant security vulnerabilities.
Next will review how Alice and Bob manage their privacy permissions.
Information provided in this post is subject to the disclaimer in the first post of this series.