Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 06, 2025

What data Apple and Google collect on you

What data Apple and Google collect on you

Apple and Google both collect data about you – including some that you’re probably not aware of. Here’s what you need to know to get a handle on it.

Your iPhone and Android device are constantly collecting data about your activity. Some of it is obvious, such as your location data if you opt to use Google Maps or Apple Apps.

Some of it is unclear, such as the telemetry data – that often can’t be turned off – sent by iOS and Android.

So, though you can opt out of some things, it’s not always straightforward. And what is shared and how it is shared is not always obvious.


A study by Douglas J. Leith, School of Computer Science & Statistics, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, claims that "Google collects around 20 times more handset data than Apple."

When an iPhone and Google Pixel phone are idle, a Pixel sends about 1MB of data to Google every 12 hours versus the iPhone that sends 52KB to Apple, the study said.

"Both iOS and Google Android transmit telemetry, despite the user explicitly opting out of this," according to the study.

"The big question for me is what information is contained in the large volume of telemetry that Google collects," Leith told FOX Business in an email.

"That telemetry aside, based on my measurements Google and Apple collect much the same sorts of data. I found that surprising since I expected Apple would collect less data," Leith said.

FOX Business has reached out to Google and Apple about the study.

One of the most important lessons for users is to be on constant guard about how companies use your data.

Though Google is planning to phase out third-party cookies on Chrome and Apple introduced enhanced consent and transparency requirements on iOS, that’s not the whole story, Shane McNamee, chief privacy officer at computer security company Avast, told FOX Business.

"So, [while] it's good that the amount of excessive data sharing is being reined in, this is only part of the battle towards moving away from excessive data collection and problematic targeted advertising models," McNamee said.

How to control what data Apple and Google are collecting


The best way to get a handle on what Apple and Google are doing with your data is to dive into settings on your Google and Apple accounts and devices.

Once inside, it doesn’t take long to see what data is being collected and how to turn it off if that option is available.

Google:
Apple and Google both collect data about you – including some that you’re probably not aware of.


Go to your Google Account (https://myaccount.google.com/).

Click or tap on Privacy & Personalization (or Data & Privacy, depending on the device).

Then go to "Things you can create and do" and click on "Go to Google Dashboard."

The dashboard has a plethora of data, settings and help with your services.

You can also download a copy of your data there.

Another option is to go to Google Privacy Checkup. This shows key privacy settings that have been turned on. You have the option to turn them off.

Google provides this common example of enabling or disabling a data sharing feature in Google user settings:

"If you have enabled Location History and regularly frequent ski resorts, you might later see an ad for ski equipment when watching a video on YouTube. Google also uses Location History in an anonymized and aggregated manner, for users who have chosen to opt-in to it, to help advertisers measure how often an online ad campaign helps drive traffic to physical stores or properties. We do not share Location History or any other identifying information with advertisers."

Android phones such as the Google Pixel also allow the user to tweak settings under "Privacy." There you can opt out of services such as "Ads Personalization" and "Web and App Activity" and "Location History."

Apple:
Your iPhone and Android device are constantly collecting data about your activity.


Go to your Apple account (appleid.apple.com) and scroll to Data & Privacy. Then tap or click on Manage Your Data and Privacy.

There you will see options such as "Request a copy of your data" and "Correct your data."

But be warned. If you request a copy of your data, it will be a dense document and not easy to wade through.

One of the best ways to control what data Apple uses is to go into the "Privacy" setting on your iPhone or other Apple device.

There you can turn off "Location Services" and "Tracking" for apps.

Or, under "Settings," you can tap on the app directly and turn off tracking. For example, for the Safari browser you have the option to turn off tracking and to block cookies.

The guidelines spelled out above are just a start but steps that every consumer should take.

"Whilst it's true that Google is often portrayed as the boogeyman of data collection, and Apple as the privacy knight in shining armor, it's probably worth throwing a more critical eye over both of their data collection practices," Avast’s McNamee said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×