During the height of the COVID pandemic, unsubstantiated rumours were flying around that the vaccine contained micro chips that could be used to track us once they were injected into our bodies. This was complete nonsense, of course, but if unscrupulous companies and organisations did want to track us, then they could do it far more effectively through the everyday use of our iPhones, rather than resorting to anything more sinister.
We unwittingly beam out vast quantities of information about ourselves simply by using our iPhones, but there are numerous features built into iOS that allow us to limit what data is accessed and how. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you how to lock down your devices virtually to the point of being totally off-grid, to ensure that your privacy is upheld and those evil corporations can no longer build profiles of you.
Essential security checks
Depending on the model of iPhone you own, Face ID or Touch ID should be activated as a given, but you should also go to Settings>Face ID & Passcode and review the following settings.
Disable access
Scroll down to this section to view the services that can be accessed when the device is locked. Start by turning off ‘Control Centre’, as thieves would be able to access this and put your device in Airplane Mode and make it harder to track.
Silence Siri
Also make sure that you turn off the ‘Siri’ option as a thief can find out information about you by asking Siri questions. Don’t worry too much though as the most sensitive information will require authentication
