By Hannah Lepow
Yesterday California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris released guidance on how smartphone and tablet users can manage GPS and other location tracking functions on their mobile devices.
The brief information sheet, designed for consumers, details how Android and iOS users can control different types of location information on their devices, including location services, geo-tagging of photos, and location history. The information sheet also gives step-by-step instructions on how to manage location information collected by apps for Android and iOS devices, and explains email tracking and how to prevent it on a mobile device.
The guidance comes as a part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a campaign to promote a safer, more secure, and more trusted internet. “Connected devices are convenient, but they also pose unique privacy challenges,” states a press release from Harris’ office. “Our smartphones and tablets are ‘always on’ and ‘always on us,’ broadcasting where we are, where we have been, and even where we are going. This is a concern for many of us, and for domestic violence and stalking victims, it can be dangerous.”