Manage Location Access
On both iOS and Android you can manage which apps and operating system services have access to the information and when. Turn off location access for as many apps as possible and regularly review and delete apps you don’t use anymore. You can also take similar precautions on desktop. And make sure that overarching accounts like your Google or Apple ID/iCloud accounts haven’t logged trusted places like a “home” for you.
No matter how much you’ve limited location tracking in apps and operating systems, your smartphone can also be tracked through your cellular service because your device pings cell towers around you to stay connected to the network. That’s why the easiest way to be certain that your devices aren’t collecting or leaking your whereabouts is to not carry them. If you don’t create the data in the first place, no one can access it.
To be totally certain that everything is off the grid, you can put your devices in special pouches or cases known as Faraday bags that block all electromagnetic signals going to or coming from a device. Faraday bags allow you to carry your devices while keeping them from exposing your location; for example, concealing your whereabouts on a given afternoon or the route you took to get to a destination. The downside of Faraday bags is the device must stay in the bag to protect your privacy, so it takes planning to use them effectively. Removing your phone means that the (location) cat is out of the bag.
