How to prevent Android app tracking and protect your online privacy?

Leo Jefferson

Sep 4, 2023 | 6 min read

Privacy

What is Android app tracking?

What are the risks of Android app tracking?

How to block Android app tracking?

Why use MetroVPN?

What is Android app tracking?

Android app tracking refers to the collection of your device information, location data, browsing history, contacts, and other data by certain applications to analyze your behavior, preferences, and interests in order to provide personalized services or advertisements. These applications can be ones you have voluntarily installed or ones pre-installed on your phone.

What are the risks of Android app tracking?

While Android app tracking can bring some conveniences, it also poses several risks, such as:

① Infringement of your privacy rights

Your personal information may be acquired, stored, analyzed, sold, or leaked by application developers, advertisers, third-party organizations, etc., leading to the exposure or misuse of your privacy.

② Impact on your online security

Your device information may be used to identify your identity or launch targeted attacks, such as phishing, malware, ransomware, etc.

③ Decreased network speed

Some applications constantly send or receive data in the background, consuming your network resources and resulting in slower or unstable internet speeds.

④ Increased network costs

Some applications constantly send or receive data in the background, consuming your data allowance and increasing your network costs.

⑤ Disruption to your online experience

Some applications push large amounts of personalized advertisements to you based on your behavioral data, interrupting your normal usage or browsing.

How to block Android app tracking?

To prevent Android app tracking and protect your online privacy, you can take the following steps:

① Check and manage your app permissions

You can review and modify the access permissions granted to each application on your device, such as camera, microphone, location, contacts, etc. Only grant necessary permissions to essential applications and reject unnecessary or suspicious permission requests.

② Regularly clean and uninstall unwanted applications

You can view and delete cache data, files, and uninstall less-used or untrusted applications on your device via the settings. This can reduce the space occupied and resources consumed by applications on your device.

③ Use privacy-friendly applications and services

Choose applications and services that respect and protect user privacy rights and data security, such as using DuckDuckGo instead of Google Search, Signal instead of WhatsApp for communication, ProtonMail instead of Gmail for email, etc.

④ Use privacy browsers and modes

Use browsers and modes that focus on privacy protection and prevent tracking, such as using Firefox browser and enabling privacy mode and enhanced tracking protection. This can block websites and third-party organizations from tracking and analyzing your online activities.

⑤ Use VPN services

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can encrypt and route your network traffic, hiding your real IP address and location information, allowing you to stay anonymous and secure on the internet. By using VPN services, you can effectively prevent applications and websites from tracking and collecting your device information and behavioral data.

Why use MetroVPN?

MetroVPN is an excellent VPN service that can help you achieve online privacy and security. By using MetroVPN , you can:

① Ultra-fast speed

MetroVPN has high-speed servers worldwide, allowing you to access any website or application anytime and anywhere without worrying about network delays or interruptions.

② Encrypt network activity

MetroVPN encrypts your network traffic, protecting it from hackers, monitoring, censorship, etc., allowing you to browse securely even on public or insecure WiFi networks.

③ Strict no-logs policy

MetroVPN follows a strict no-logs policy, meaning it does not track or store any of your online activities, ensuring your data remains confidential.

④ Enjoy better online prices

MetroVPN allows you to easily switch to different countries or regions, compare and obtain lower prices for online products and services such as flights, hotels, games, etc., saving you more on your online expenses.