As they say, Big Brother is always watching. For this generation, long after the George Orwell novel was written, that phrase can be used to describe Google. We use Google in our daily lives for everything from e-mail access to cloud storage, document creation, search, web browsing, AI assistance, and more. It’s prevalent on our smartphones, speakers, TVs, security devices, smart home devices, and computers. All these devices talk to the internet in one form or another and collect location data. This connectivity is how the best AirTag alternatives for Android can keep track of your favorite items.
If you’re particularly concerned about location tracking, you may disable the GPS on your device to prevent it from tracking you. This limits features and apps, but for some, it’s worth the trade-off. Yet you might notice that somehow, Google still knows where you are. How is this possible?
Your location can be tracked through a combination of other methods, including your connectivity to a cellular network, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth network, and the IP address of the device. These methods, either individually or combined, can provide Google with an estimation of your location, if not pinpointing the exact location.
Google can approximate location
If you deactivate the GPS on your device, you will find that you can still ask the intelligent Gemini AI assistant what the weather will be tonight in your area, or for directions to a nearby café. It may feel like magic, but there’s a good reason why your phone can answer these questions correctly. If your phone is connected to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, Google can tap into nearby Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth beacons to get a general idea of where you are.
The most obvious method for a smartphone to determine your location when the GPS is off is by using cellular towers. Your phone communicates with these towers to receive a signal, which Google can use to determine where the device is by measuring the time it takes your device to speak to each tower.
There’s also your IP address on any device connected to the internet. Knowing this helps Google determine your location as well. As Google gets smarter with the power of AI, it can also use logical inferences. If you have locations saved, such as home and work, and your device is connected to other smart products in one of those locations, it’s safe for Google to assume that’s where you are.
How to limit being tracked
There are steps you can take to make it more challenging to determine your location. Turn off Location History in your Google account to prevent Google from saving a history of the places you visit. If you have an Android device, you can disable Google location accuracy in the device’s settings. This limits the tracking of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and sensor data when GPS has been turned off. Individual apps that you have downloaded may have been granted location permissions, such as the weather app or fitness tracker. Check the permissions for these apps and deny them to prevent location tracking, or at least switch the permissions to “only while using the app.”
Finally, consider using a reliable and free VPN to mask your IP address when you’re outside your home or work locations to keep your whereabouts private. This isn’t a foolproof method to mask where you are, but it’s an extra step worth taking for your privacy.
Location tracking is useful for many reasons, including fitness tracking and navigation by car, as well as for specific features like improved public transportation routing. But even if you turn the GPS off, there’s a good chance Google can still determine your location through other means.
