Despite numerous improvements over the years, Android has still had flagrant confidentiality problems. Applications can follow your location, data, monitor the use of the phone and do much more to create a profile when you dive deeper into Android and, therefore, the Google ecosystem.
There are confidentiality parameters that prevent great technology from following you, but finding some of these parameters may look like an archaeological expedition. It is not that Android does not have private life protection features; It’s just that they are buried deep in several menus.
A critical confidentiality parameter that you will find it difficult to find
Android has introduced the authorization of nearby devices in Android 12 as supposed improvement to confidentiality. The idea was that instead of applications needing your location permission just to connect to Bluetooth devices, they could use this more limited authorization in place.
However, even without your location authorization, applications can always determine exactly where you are by scanning these nearby Bluetooth devices. If you are sitting next to a friend who has shared his location with Facebook, the application can identify your location via Bluetooth Scanning – even if you have never given the Facebook location authorizations on your phone.
It might not seem too worrying at first. After all, how precise the supposed location of a Bluetooth device can be, right? Except that this is combined with other data points such as your connection with cell towers, Wi-Fi networks, proximity to Bluetooth compatible devices, and even more to create an extremely precise estimate of your location. When combined with accelerometer and movement data from your phone, the estimate becomes frightening.
Your phone will invite you when the applications require this authorization, so unless you go around “yes” on each prompting prompt, there are many applications to do so. However, system applications on your phone use this default authorization.
These applications are generally preinstalled and can be difficult to uninstall or deactivate. Depending on your Android version, these may include the intelligence of the Android system, the intelligence of personal data, Android Auto and Android Configuration, among others.
How to check the nearby devices
Unless you know where to look for it, the authorizations of the nearby devices can be difficult to find. If your phone’s settings app has a search bar, I would highly recommend using it. Otherwise, follow these steps to find the authorizations of the nearby devices on Android 16.
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Go to your phone settings, scroll down and press Security and confidentiality.
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Scroll down and press Privacy controls below Confidentiality section.
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Faucet Authorization.
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Faucet Nearby devices from the list.
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You can see which applications are allowed to access functionality. Press an application to control authorizations.
You will see several system applications here, and some of them really need authorization. However, there may also be other applications, such as my pixel if you use a Google Pixel, and all other third-party applications for which you may have allowed authorization.
What happens when you deactivate access to devices nearby
In most cases, you can deactivate access to the nearby devices for an application and make it work without any problems. You can lose a specific function or feature, but the overall user experience of your phone will be largely unchanged.
That said, there are applications for which you want access to nearby devices to be activated. The most obvious is Find Hub. You want this application to have such a good handle on the location of your phone, so it’s easier to collect your Android phone next time you lose it.
Another application that uses nearby devices is Android Auto to connect to your car infotainment system and other devices. This is done to support wireless connectivity and sun supports, display notifications, navigation and other features.
You can also see Android System Intelligence with access to functionality. This application feeds features related to AI locally on your phone. However, he still collects crash newspapers, diagnostics and device identifiers. Revocation of authorizations should not have major usability problems, but certain predictive features fueled by AI such as text suggestions or automated recommendations for the apparatus of devices may cease to operate.
Any other application that you do not recognize may be deactivated. Again, that shouldn’t have an effect on the user experience of your phone. However, some manufacturers make their own changes to Android and system applications that access various sensitive authorizations, so that your experience can vary.
In all cases, the application (or your phone) will invite you to allow access to the nearby devices in case the revocation of access breaks a critical functionality of the system. For the most part, it is recommended to deactivate this authorization for any application that you have not explicitly authorized.
Android can sometimes deactivate the default vital safety settings, which you need to activate. Nearby devices are important access that you should check periodically and revoke for all unrecognized applications.
Keep in mind that the audit of authorizations on your Android phone is not a unique task; It is a process in progress. New system applications are often added with updates, and authorizations can be reset during large Android upgrades. Manufacturers also often add their own invasive confidentiality system applications in addition to Google.
Your data belongs to you, not to the sneaky applications that you have accidentally gave too much access. Take a few minutes to search the safety menus from time to time and deactivate the authorizations that quietly compromise your privacy.
