Ever talked about a product and then seen an ad for it hours later? While smartphones are not actively listening, they collect a significant amount of data. Computers, laptops, tablets, and phones track and store user activity.
Devices gather data through browsing history, app usage, location tracking, and interactions. This information helps companies personalize ads, recommend content, and improve services.
While stopping data collection entirely is not possible, knowing what is being tracked allows for better security practices. Here’s a detailed look at what devices know about users worldwide.
What Data Is Being Collected By Your Phone and TV?
Every device tracks digital activity. Data is stored and used for targeted ads, analytics, and other purposes. While stopping data collection entirely isn’t possible, knowing what’s being tracked helps improve digital security.
1. Browsing and Search History
Websites visited, search queries, and app usage create a digital footprint. Companies analyze this information for personalized content and targeted advertising.
2. Location Tracking
GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks track physical movements. Apps and services use this data for recommendations, traffic updates, and ad targeting.
3. Microphone and Voice Inputs
Virtual assistants process voice commands. Though devices aren’t constantly listening, they activate upon trigger words, storing interactions for analysis.
4. Camera Access
Apps request camera permissions for calls, scanning, and authentication. Some services may access the camera in the background.
5. Purchase and Financial Data
Online shopping, payment apps, and subscriptions reveal spending habits. Companies use this data for financial profiling and marketing strategies.
6. Contacts and Social Connections
Social media, messaging apps, and cloud backups store contact lists. Platforms analyze relationships for content suggestions and friend recommendations.
7. Smart TV Viewing Habits
Streaming services and smart TVs log viewing history. This data influences recommendations and targeted advertisements.
What Your Phone and TV Know About You
Phones and TVs collect and store vast amounts of personal data. Here’s what they track:
- Your entire location history
- Your real-time activities
- The whereabouts of your contacts
- Your sexual preferences
- Your religious beliefs
- Every voice command you’ve given
- Your stored login credentials
- Your reproductive health data
- Your medical history and conditions
- Your biometric identifiers
- Your emotional patterns
- Every detail shared with Google
- All data provided to installed apps
1. Your Phone Tracks Everywhere You’ve Been
Both iPhones and Android devices have built-in tracking that logs location data. This can be useful for navigation, finding lost devices, or using location-based services.
However, it also means a record of movements—home, work, medical visits, social gatherings, and protests—can be stored. Disabling location tracking can limit this data collection.
Turning Off Location Tracking on an iPhone:
- Open Settings
- Select Privacy & Security
- Tap Location Services
- Toggle Location Services off
Turning Off Location Tracking on an Android:
- Swipe down from the top of the screen
- Tap and hold Location
- If Location isn’t visible, go to Edit or Settings and drag it into Quick Settings
Even with GPS turned off, sensors like the accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer can still track movement. Susan Landau, a cybersecurity and policy professor at Tufts University, points out that these sensors provide data that can reveal patterns of activity.
2. Your Phone Tracks What You’re Doing Every Second
Modern smartphones automatically capture activity patterns, detecting movements like walking, sitting, or sleeping. Machine-learning algorithms analyze behavior to make assumptions.
For example, if the screen remains off for hours, no apps are used, and the device is charging past 11 p.m., the system assumes the user is asleep. Dominic Sellitto, a management science professor at the University at Buffalo, points out that phones collect raw data but also use it to make inferences.
Phones also log app usage, track time spent on each application, and monitor driving speed. In cases of accidents, this data can reveal whether the phone was in use at the time of the crash.
3. Your Phone Knows About the People Around You
Beyond personal tracking, phones collect information about others. Apps like Find My on iPhones help locate lost devices and allow users to share locations for safety. While useful, these features also generate extensive data about friends and family.
Constant tracking can complicate relationships, as not everyone is comfortable being monitored. Some argue that location-sharing apps contribute to a culture of surveillance, raising concerns about privacy and control.
4. Your Phone Tracks Personal Details Like Sexual Orientation
Dating apps may seem private, but they collect and store sensitive information, including sexual orientation.
A Catholic priest was publicly exposed after a nonprofit obtained data from multiple dating and hookup apps, including Grindr, Scruff, Growlr, Jack’d, and OkCupid.
Phones serve as deeply personal devices, often used in ways that people wouldn’t behave in public. Butler, a privacy expert, highlights that data generated through apps can be used to identify individuals and reveal private details if not properly secured.
5. Your Phone Can Reveal Religious Beliefs
Location data can expose where someone worships, making religious affiliation easy to determine. Governments or organizations can use this information for tracking purposes.
A 2020 Vice report revealed that the U.S. military purchased location data from a prayer app, showing how such details can be accessed and analyzed.
Many people consider location data sensitive, with 82% of Americans expressing concerns about privacy. Apps that seem harmless may contribute to data collection that reveals deeply personal aspects of life.
6. Your Phone Records Everything Said to Siri or Google Assistant
Voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant store user interactions, logging questions ranging from casual inquiries to deeply personal concerns.
Apple states that Siri collects data to improve recognition, while Google Assistant uses stored data for personalization. While some accept this trade-off, others feel uncomfortable knowing private conversations are being recorded.
Voice Assistants Can Record Without Intent
These systems constantly listen for trigger words, sometimes capturing unintended recordings.
Butler, a privacy expert, warns that this can lead to storing conversations users never meant to record. Amazon’s Alexa has faced similar concerns over unintended surveillance.
Deleting Siri History on iPhone:
- Open Settings
- Tap Siri & Search
- Select Siri & Dictation History
- Tap Delete Siri & Dictation History
Deleting Google Assistant Recordings:
- Visit the Google Account Assistant Activity page
- Sign in
- Tap More on the Google Assistant banner
- Select Delete activity
- Choose All time
- Tap Delete
Managing these settings helps limit data stored by voice assistants, reducing the risk of unintended recordings being kept.
7. Stored Passwords
Smartphones store passwords for convenience, often through built-in password managers.
Cybersecurity experts recommend this as a safer alternative to reusing passwords, which increases the risk of multiple accounts being compromised if one is hacked.
8. Menstrual Cycle Tracking
Period-tracking apps store sensitive health data, including fertility windows and cycle patterns. Research shows that 84% of these apps share data with third parties, often without explicit consent.
In areas where abortion laws are strict, this data could be used as evidence, with legal cases showing law enforcement has accessed digital records for prosecutions. Apps like Drip, Euki, and Periodical store data locally, making it harder for third parties to access.
9. Health Data
Smartphones collect heart rate, blood pressure, weight, medications, and other health metrics.
Many assume this data is protected under privacy laws like HIPAA, but those protections apply only in limited cases.
Some mental health apps have been caught sharing sensitive user data with third parties, including major platforms like Meta and Google.
10. Biometric Data
Face and fingerprint recognition provide secure access to devices, but concerns remain about the long-term risks of biometric storage.
As technology advances, hackers or malicious actors could use biometric data to create deepfakes or bypass security measures.
11. Mood Tracking
Smartphones analyze activity patterns, sleep habits, and app usage to infer mood and mental health. Some studies suggest that digital biomarkers could be used in the future to monitor mental health conditions.
12. Google’s Data Collection
Android phones linked to Google services collect vast amounts of information, including browsing history, call details, app usage, and location data. Once logged into a Google account, activity across all connected services is monitored and stored.
Conclusion
Smartphones and TVs collect vast amounts of personal data, shaping digital experiences while raising serious privacy concerns.
Every search, location, conversation, and app interaction feeds into a system designed for targeted ads, recommendations, and analytics.
Digital privacy requires awareness and proactive measures—small adjustments can significantly protect personal data worldwide.