The FBI Is Buying Your Location Data. Here’s How to Protect Yourself.

If you assumed the government needed a warrant to track where you go, this story is a wake-up call. Reports that the FBI buys Americans’ location data from commercial data brokers highlight a simple problem: your phone may be sharing far more than you realize.

The good news is that you can reduce a lot of this tracking with a few practical changes.

Why This Matters

Your location data can reveal where you live, work, shop, worship, and travel. That information is often collected through ordinary apps, bundled by data brokers, and sold onward.

In other words, the privacy risk does not start with the government. It starts with the apps and services on your phone.

1. Tighten App Location Permissions

Start with the easiest win: stop giving apps location access unless they truly need it.

• On iPhone, review Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
• On Android, review Settings > Location or Settings > Privacy > Permission Manager > Location.
• Set most apps to Never or While Using the App.
• Turn off precise location when an app does not need exact coordinates.

A good rule: if it is a game, shopping app, coupon app, or utility app, it probably does not need to know where you are all day.

2. Cut Off Ad Tracking

Many companies connect your activity using your phone’s advertising ID. Reducing that tracking makes your data less useful to brokers.

• On iPhone, disable app tracking requests in Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
• On Android, delete or disable your advertising ID in the privacy settings.
• Limit ad personalization anywhere the option appears.

Think of this as removing the name tag from your device.

3. Delete Apps You Don’t Trust

Old apps are easy to forget and hard to monitor. If you do not use an app, remove it.

Focus especially on:

• Weather apps.
• Free games.
• Shopping and coupon apps.
• Flashlight, scanner, and utility apps.
• Apps from brands you do not recognize.

A simple test helps: if losing the app would barely affect your life, delete it.

4. Audit the Permissions You Already Gave

Location is only one part of the picture. Many apps also ask for access to your camera, microphone, contacts, Bluetooth, and photos.

Review every permission and ask one question: does this app need this access to do its job?

If the answer is no, turn it off.