Your Smartphone Is Watching You – How to Stop Hidden Tracking

The article explains how smartphones leave a digital trail through their MAC address, and how address randomization helps protect privacy. Instructions are provided for iPhone and Android.

A smartphone can leave a digital trail in shopping malls, airports, and cafes even without connecting to Wi-Fi. Wireless systems use the device's MAC address to track movements. Although the MAC address does not contain personal data, it allows the device to be recognized on repeat visits. Modern smartphones use MAC address randomization: on iPhone this is the 'Private Wi-Fi Address' feature, on Android – 'Randomized MAC address'. This complicates long-term tracking. The article provides instructions for checking and configuring this feature. It is recommended to disable randomization only for corporate networks that require MAC registration. However, randomization does not guarantee complete anonymity – location can be determined through geolocation, Bluetooth, and the mobile network.