1 in 3 Brits think their phone is listening to them- experts reveal how to protect your data

New data from experts at Compare and Recycle reveals how to prevent your phone from stealing your personal data as tech giant, Apple, is accused of selling customers’ conversations.

Technology has brought many enhancements to our everyday lives, from giving us unlimited access to our friends and family to allowing us to research anything at the drop of a hat. But does this come at the cost of our privacy?

New data from Compare and Recycle reveals that 1 out of 3 Brits believe that their mobile phones are listening to them, with Gen Z users being the most conscious about their mobile phone privacy.

This comes in the wake of Apple’s recent £77m settlement after being accused of selling voice recordings via Siri taken from unknowing customers to third parties. While the company hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing, the news has reopened conversations surrounding data privacy regarding our tech.

In light of this, mobile experts at Compare and Recycle, the UK’s leading mobile phone recycling comparison site, have revealed their top tips for protecting your privacy and keeping your personal information safe on your devices.

Experts reveal how your phone could be listening to you

While many of us think that we are safe when it comes to spilling our secrets around our mobile phones, they could, in fact, be shared with third parties without our knowledge. Experts at Compare and Recycle explain:

“Mobile phones provide great ways to communicate with loved ones and friends. But to ensure that you aren’t unknowingly offering up your conversations for consumption, it is important to understand why and when our phones could be listening.

“One of the main ways our phones listen to us is through voice assistant software embedded into many modern devices, including Siri or Google Assistant. To understand our voices and requests, they need to listen to us at length to be as accurate as possible. This often means they will listen to our conversations even when we don’t realise it.

“In addition, some apps will hide sneaky clauses in their terms and conditions that allow them access to your mobile microphone and, as a result, the conversations you have while using the app. This information could then be sold to third parties to be used to advertise products to you more accurately.

“To protect your privacy, always check the T&Cs for hidden clauses before you press accept.”

How to stop your phone from listening to you

Tech and mobile phone experts at Compare and Recycle have revealed how to prevent your device from listening to your private conversations:

1. Disable your mobile’s microphone: Go to your settings and remove access to your microphone on any apps where your voice isn’t required or is unreputable.

2. Turn off your phone’s voice assistant: Many phone users aren’t aware of how much their phone’s voice assistant function (e.g. Siri) needs to listen to your conversations to tune its algorithm to the user’s voice. It can even listen without being activated. Disabling this feature in your settings will ensure that the voice assistant cannot use this feature or track your conversations.

3. Update your phone: Keeping your phone and its apps updated will ensure that it is keeping in line with the latest GDPR laws and regulations.

4. Use antivirus software: While antivirus software is common on laptops and computers, it can also help protect your mobile phone from viruses that could invade your privacy. Look for any software with real-time protection, or look for smartphones with built-in security.