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Some Android Phones Will Track You No Matter What
Depending on the OS, opting out of tracking may not make a difference
By Rob Rich Rob Rich News Reporter College for Creative Studies Rob is a freelance tech reporter with experience writing for a variety of outlets, including IGN, Unwinnable, 148Apps, Gamezebo, Pocket Gamer, Fanbolt, Zam, and more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on October 13, 2021 12:13PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Phones Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming A team of researchers has discovered that some Android phones will continue to track you, even after you opt out. It turns out that, even if you tell your Android phone not to track and send your information out, it might be doing it anyway, depending on the OS. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh (UK) and Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) tested six versions of Android OS, finding that most of them never stop collecting data. Emilija Manevska / Getty Images The paper analyzes the data traffic from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, Huawei, LineageOS, and /e/OS variants of Android OS. The research shows that only /e/OS avoids collecting and sending data. Every other version of AndroidOS tested will continue to collect and send your information, even after you tell your phone not to—even when it's idle. The information collected and where it's sent depends on the OS, as well. For example, LineageOS will share your telemetry, app logging details, and third-party app data to Google. Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Realme versions all send more information to various companies, including themselves, Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Huawei, in particular, goes as far as to send "...the timing and duration of every app window viewed by a user." Basically, a variety of your information gets sent to the OS developers and third-party developers with pre-installed system apps. Marco_Piunti / Getty Images As of now, if you have or are interested in getting an Android device and have privacy concerns, a device using /e/OS seems to be your best option, based on what the researchers found. LineageOS is probably the second-best choice, as while it does collect information, according to the study, it collects far less than the other four options and only sends it to one company (Google). Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Set Up a New Android Phone The 8 Best Android Emulators for Windows 10 and Windows 11 How to Download Music to Your Android Phone The Official Android Versions Guide: Everything You Need to Know How to Remove Your Information From the Web Android 13: News, Release Date, and Features How to Root Your Android Phone How to Block Cell Phone Numbers On Android or iPhone (iOS) How to Back Up Your Android Phone to a PC How to Print From an Android Phone How to Unlock the Bootloader on Your Android Phone How to Fix Black Screen on Android Phones How to Stop Facebook Ads From Tracking You How to Delete Apps on an Android Phone How to Connect an Android Phone to a Roku TV How to Recover Deleted Videos From Your Android Phone or Tablet Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies