Apple, Google, Amazon, and Facebook are Always Listening: Take Charge

Author: Mich Wolf

Do you think top tech companies like Meta, Twitter, Amazon, etc, are compromising your privacy?

Big tech companies are notorious for collecting data on their users. For example, Google collects information on the websites you visit and what ads you see. 

Facebook and Amazon track your activity, including your likes and posts. Apple, on the other hand, has been caught listening in on phone calls!

So how do you protect your privacy? Simple! By changing your settings on these platforms. 

Here are the steps:

Facebook

Facebook occasionally demands microphone access for video calls and text-to-speech functions. If you feel uncomfortable allowing Facebook access to your microphone, you may use these procedures to restrict mic access for any app.

For iPhone:

1. Open Settings on your phone and select the Facebook app.
2. Flip the green button next to it to turn off the mic.

There is also another way:

1. Launch the Settings app. Scroll down and select Privacy & Security.
2. Select the Microphone menu.
3. Locate Facebook in the list of applications and turn the green switch off.

For Android:

1. Open the Settings app and then choose Apps.
2. Tap the Facebook app to modify.
3. Select Permissions.
4. Please select it and then turn off the microphone.

 When you need to make a call or record an audio message, you can go into the settings this way and switch on the microphone back in.

Amazon

If you use the Amazon Echo voice assistant and are concerned that you might listen, here’s how to turn off the microphone and feel safer.

• Click the button that looks like a speaker or a circle with a line on your Echo device. It prevents the device from transmitting electricity through the internals of the microphone.
• Push the button again if you want to use the function. You may always switch off the microphone when not in use or during a private discussion.

Apple

Turn off these settings if you suspect you are not preserving your privacy when you use Siri on the phone.

1. On your iPhone, launch the Settings app. Scroll to the bottom and choose Siri & Search.
2. To turn off “Listen for ‘Hey Siri,'” flip the green switch off.
3. You may also disable Allow Siri When Locked to prevent Siri from activating if a button is mistakenly pressed in your pocket.

Google

If you use Google Assistant on your device, follow the instructions.

On the Android platform:

Open your phone’s Settings and choose Apps.

Select Assistant, then See all Assistant Options under Basic.

You may disable “Hey Google” by clicking the toggle.

On iOS:

1. Launch the Setting
2. Scroll to the bottom and select Privacy & Security.
3. Select the Microphone option when you find it.
4. Find Google Assistant in the list of applications and turn the green switch off.

Bottom Line

Apps routinely collect information about what we do on their platforms to provide a better experience. We have to be careful not to comply with these requests blindly. There are ways to allow app access only if they provide value and meet specific standards. And if you don’t want an application tracking your every move, you can disable its features.