Did You Know Your iPhone’s Been Spying on You?

Here’s how to put an end to it.

Privacy schmivacy, right? In this digital age, we know our every online move is tracked. We even begrudgingly accept that our DVRs and TVs know exactly what we watch. So why should it be any different to learn that Apple’s collecting info about where we go?


Well first off, they didn’t just start. It’s been going on since iOS 7. Second, it’s different because they’re snooping on where we physically go. We’re not talking about what sites you pop onto or shows you veg out in front of. It tells you in creepily fine detail exactly where you (or at least your phone) has been, how frequently and for how long.


To check if it’s active (and shut it off), go into Settings; select Privacy, Location Services, System Services, Frequent Locations. (Phew!) Before you clear the history and/or disable this invasion of privacy service, feel free to drill down into the cities and locations you’ve been to. Could be educational. But definitely not the kind of information you want falling into the wrong hands. Depending on how misbehaved you’ve been, it could result in more than just a lump of coal in your stocking.

Photos by Getty Images / Detroit Free Press