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How to Stop Android Apps from Spying on You

By going completely lights out

Savvies, ever wondered if your Android apps are listening, watching or keep track of your movement? Here is how to stop Android apps from spying on you by making your Samsung phone go full “lights out”.

Take a look below. A Facebook video is attempted to be created, but the app dis unable to use the camera, because its access has been shit down.

This is a nuclear option as it completely shuts down your phone’s eyes, ears and the spacial awareness for apps.

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See a step-by-step guide with screenshots below 👇

BTW, you can search a growing archive of Android/PC training guides on the archives page. I’ll be aggressively adding new material at least 4 times per week. Also if you know someone who would love to learn from us, consider gifting them a subscription 👇

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In this training, you will learn how to completely prevent Android apps from spying on you. Privacy has been a growing concern in the world of technology. With ever-expanding advancements in digital tracking and advertising, it's becoming more and more important for individuals to have personal control over their data. On one hand, this is fantastic because there are so many benefits to having personal control over these things such as reducing ad fatigue and improving your mental health.

Unfortunately, the accessibility of these tools have made them ideal for those looking to invade people's privacy without explicitly consenting to the practice. This can be accomplished through location tracking or through a combination of an app's permissions which determines what you're allowed to share with them (allow users access to some and not others.

Why do Android apps even need access to your sensors

In order to work properly, Android apps require permissions to your phone's camera, microphone, gyroscope and more. Apps like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook for example, require access to your phone's camera and the microphone to post videos and photos. Google Maps requires access to your GPS, in order to provide you with access to your precise location. Access to your phone's hardware is at the core of most modern apps.

The largest concern privacy concern of the recent years has become the fact that social media apps, games and other commonly used apps can utilize the input from your phone's sensors (camera, microphone etc.) to gather information about your usage.

For example, a social media app could use your camera to understand precisely where are you looking on the screen. So, when you browse through your feed, the app can understand what posts you spend the most time looking at. This can also be used to understand if you looked at an advertisement that came up in your feed, so that this AD can be presented to your again at a later time.

How to stop Android apps from spying on you

On your Android phone, swipe up on the home screen and tap on Settings

Tap on Settings

Scroll down and tap on About phone

Tap on About phone

Tap on Software information

Tap on Software Information

Tap on the Build Number 5-8 times, you will be prompted to enter your master Android phone password. Enter your password and you will see a Developer mode has been turned on message at the bottom of the screen

Tap on the Build Number 8 times
Developer mode has been enabled on Adnroid

Tap on the left upper corner of the phone to track back to the Main menu screen.

Keep tapping this to go back to the main menu

At the bottom, you will see a new added option called Developer options

Tap on the Developer option

Tap on Developer options to enter the developer options

Enter the developer options

Scroll down and tap on Quick settings developer tiles

Tap on Quick settings developer tiles

In this menu, tap on Sensors off and you are good to go!

Switch on the Sensors off toggle

Now, swipe down your notifications bar and you will see a new Sensors off options.

Turn on Sensors off

Tap on Sensors off and it will disable all access to all of your phone sensors, including, but not limited to the camera, microphone, gyroscope etc.

Turn on Sensors on - it will turn blue when on

If you don't see the Sensors off option, swipe down your notifications bar and expand the quick menu options.

Tap on the plus icon in the Quick Settings menu

Swipe the quick menu buttons to the left 2 times and you will see a plus icon.

Drag the "Sensors off" button down

Tap on the plus icon and by long-pressing, drag the Sensors off from top to the bottom of the quick settings and press Done.

Place the Sensors off in the Quick Access bar and press done

That's it!

You have not effectively disabled all of the sensors and stopped your Android from spying on you by disabling all sensor access.

Remember that this is easily reversible by either going back to your notifications bar and turning off Sensors off or disabling the Developer mode on your Android.

Tech Learning Accelerator
Tech Learning Accelerator
Authors
Ryan Kennedy