The iOS 13 Privacy Settings You Should Change Right Now
发布时间:2019年12月06日
发布人:nanyuzi  

The iOS 13 Privacy Settings You Should Change Right Now

 

Alex Lee

 

Apple has always enjoyed a bit of goodhearted grandstanding when it comes to detailing its stance on privacy and security, famously plastering the words “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone” on a billboard at CES. Now, with today’s release of iOS 13, the tech juggernaut can brag about privacy some more.

 

The company has made a concerted effort to emphasise the value it places on users’ privacy in recent years, putting its security attempts front and centre in its releases. It notably called privacy a fundamental human right at its worldwide developers conference back in June 2019. Nowhere is this more evident than in iOS 13, where the company is keen to challenge the dubious practices of the likes of Facebook, and show off its own privacy chops.

 

Here are all the privacy settings that you should be taking note of on your iOS 13 device right now.

 

1. Change How Often Apps Track Your Location

 

With iOS 13, you can finally stop nosey apps like Facebook from snooping on your every location. Instead of a push notification requesting access to your location when you open an app up for the first time, you are instead greeted with a notification asking you to choose from three different privacy options – allow continuous location access while you’re using the app, allow access once or don’t allow access at all.

 

If you select the “allow once” option, you will be greeted with the same notification the next time you open up the app. Of course, if you want to grant the app unfettered access to your location, you can navigate to Settings, then Privacy. Tap on Location Services and then toggle the app on to whitelist it.

 

You will also receive a prompt asking if you’d like to grant an app constant access to your location the first time it tries to access your location when it is running in the background.

 

2. Block Spam Callers

 

Fear you might be on some telemarketer’s target list? Worry no more, with iOS 13, your iPhone can intelligently determine whether you know the caller or not. If the number is found in your contacts, mail or messages, the call will be let through to you, like your own personal assistant.

 

To enable this feature, navigate to Settings, tap on Phone, then toggle on the button labelled Silence Unknown Callers.

 

3. Block Apps from Accessing Bluetooth

 

Ever noticed that Facebook sends you specific ads because you visited a specific store? It’s probably because it has access to your Bluetooth data.

 

But with iOS 13, you can now block certain apps from using Bluetooth without your permission. Sure, it’s necessary when you want to use your AirPods or pair your FitBit or Apple Watch, but certain apps just want access to Bluetooth so they can track your whereabouts and deliver you targeted ads.

 

Now when an app wants to use Bluetooth, you have the option of granting it access to Bluetooth… or not.

 

4. Strip Location Metadata from Your Photos

 

A fan of plopping up your feet at home and taking cute pyjama selfies for your followers to see? We don’t blame you, but one – sometimes unwelcome – feature of iOS is that it stores your GPS location in the metadata with every snap. If you post that pic on social media, your home’s location metadata will be there for everyone to see.

 

But creepers begone, now you can remove location data from any photo or video before posting it or emailing it out to somebody. Just tap on all the photos you want to send in the Photos app, tap the Share button, then find the new Options button and toggle Location to off.

 

5. Sign in with Apple

 

We all love the convenience of signing in with Facebook or Google when an app gives you the option to do so, but those companies don’t have a stellar reputation when it comes to protecting your data.

 

Now in iOS 13, you can choose to sign in with Apple instead. The real standout feature, though, is that you now have the option of sharing a false private relay email when you sign up, instead of your personal one. This means that your personal email address will always be hidden, so the app developer will never know your real one, just the fake one it’s been fed. Hurrah!

 

6. Deny Access to Contacts Notes

 

You’ve always been able to grant an app access to your contacts, but you probably don’t want any notes on those contacts to be made accessible, too.

 

Now when you grant an app access to your contacts, the app will no longer be able to see any notes you’ve made on their contact card.

 

7. No More Weak Passwords

Like it or not, Apple wants you to stop using Password123 when you sign up or log into a website on Safari. Now when you log in with a weak password, Apple will let you know, giving you the option to be sent directly to the place where you can change it.