Privacy · 4 min read · Both
Take back your app permissions
Which permissions actually matter, and how to clear out the ones that don't.
Apps ask for far more than they need. The three worth auditing are location, microphone and camera.
Do the audit by permission, not by app
- iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services / Microphone / Camera. You see every app that has it, in one list.
- Android: Settings → Security & privacy → Privacy → Permission manager.
What to set
- Location: "While using the app" for maps and delivery. Never for games, torches and photo editors.
- Microphone and camera: off unless the app genuinely needs it. A shopping app does not.
- Contacts: the most over-shared permission. Turn it off for anything that is not a messaging app.
Turn off ad tracking
- iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track.
- Android: Settings → Google → Ads → Delete advertising ID.
Then delete what you don't use
An app you never open is still collecting. If you have not used it in six months, remove it — that is the cleanest privacy win there is.