Welcome to Nosy Eye. The daily privacy newsletter that gives you the best privacy tips so you’re always the smartest person in the elevator.

Here’s what we got for you today:

• Mobile device privacy

• Action Tip of The Day

Thinking About Your Mobile Device Policy

As smartphones continue to become an integral part of our daily lives (we’re already there), we need to understand how to not be subservient to these devices and our data.

We’re going to look at the potential risks your phone carries with handling data so you’re better equipped.

Let’s take a look at what your phone collects:

• Location via built-in GPS

• Cell phone triangulation data - the time delay that a signal takes to return back to the towers from your phone. Sort of like a GPS in its purpose to figure out where you are.

• Most phones have batteries that cannot be removed

• Gyroscopes - to know how your phone is oriented

• Varying WiFi access points

• Bluetooth connections

• Usernames and accounts

• Cameras in multiple directions

• Microphones

• Application data

• That sweet banking info

What does this data represent?

Data marketers, of all sizes, can now package up all that information about you with a nice red bow on top and sell it off.

The data collected by smartphones represents a much more complex layer of information than a simple two-dimensional picture created by a single user on a desktop computer.

Alone, as a single user, it may not be worth much. In aggregate, however, it can be weaponized against you.

Don’t mind the slight fear mongering, but we just want to drive the point home that it’s not just about you “having nothing to hide”. 

Our aim is not to do away with the convenience of owning a phone, but rather give you the knowledge and power to stand up for yourself when the time calls for it.

One simple tip would be to limit the browsing and web searching on your phone (the more the better).

We know it might feel a bit inconvenient to start, but you can use a regular computer or laptop instead.

Desktops Aren’t Done Yet

Many desktop computers do not come with a camera, microphone, GPS or mobile antennae that are constantly pinging satellites or cell towers.

And when unplugging a computer, you know it's actually offline unlike phones today.

With laptops, you can cover the camera to avoid nosy eyes (pun fully intended. We waited patiently for this moment).

Another important step you can take is to limit the amount of personal information that you share on your phone.

This can include everything we mentioned earlier by toggling the privacy settings on your phone.

Now if you're really worried about your smartphone privacy, you should consider using a privacy-focused mobile operating system such as LineageOS or GrapheneOS.

They’re designed with security and privacy in mind, and have a bunch of features to help protect your personal information.

Action Tip of The Day

You have an interestingly random conversation with someone. Then later you start seeing ads related to the topic?

And to prove you’re not crazy, you tested out your theory and made sure not to do any searching on your phone to indicate your interest prior to a conversation.

And yet there it is again: Ads for that weird thing you were talking about.

You’re not crazy. Your phone is listening to you.

If this freaks you out and you want to limit this behavior. Turn off the microphone for most, if not all, of the applications on your phone.

That's all we have for you today. There's plenty more, of course, but then you'll think we're really crazy.

Not that we care, but it's better that you get this info in bytes so you can actually do something about it.

But if you want more, reply "dessert first" and we'll get something over to you.

Anyways, bye for now.

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is strictly educational. Please do not use easily identifiable data online, as you do not know who is going to give it away.