Make Google stop tracking you with your Android

[Drillbit]

Despite what Google's new privacy policies says, the Android OS are built with means to stop Google from tracking you.

Depending on the phone settings, you have to to Settings, then Location, then disable Use Wireless Networks and Location Setting.

If your phone has Search settings, disable Use My Location. This disables localized search.

This actually saves on battery since your apps and Android doesn't send tracking signals on the background when not in use. However, Google Maps and other apps that use location tracking won't work properly, so you have to be well aware when and where you should employ location tracking for your own benefit.

On Ice Cream Sandwich, it will be Settings, then Location Services, and you will find and disable Google's Location Service and Location & Google Search.

[internetpilot]

I promise I'm not being a smart*** by asking this question, but should I care if Google can track me?

I mean, DirecTV is monitoring what I watch and record on my DVR, HTC and Sprint is already monitoring the heck out of my phone usage (especially if you use the stock ROM), my ISP is watching everything I do online (some say "the government" is too), since I'm running Windows Microsoft is watching everything I install, my credit card company is keeping track of what and where I buy, even Toyota is keeping track of where and how much I drive my car...

Even if I'm paranoid, it would seem that Google is the least of my problems, no?

[Drillbit]

I really don't care if Google tracks me or not, but I do care about the battery usage it takes to do that.

Removing tracking does affect your social networking if you use geolocation, like trying to find and read the posts of people nearby you.

[SGosnell]

That's another phenomenon I don't understand. Why would I care about what total strangers post just because they're near me? I don't care about the conversations of strangers at the next table. I see the feed in Google+, and I did look at it a couple of times, and simply failed to see the attraction.

[Drillbit]

Yes, if you disable all the location tracking off your phone, the Nearby column on on your Google+ app isn't going to work. It also affects your weather and news apps if you use dynamic location aka My Location or Current Location. So I just enter a fixed value for the weather and news apps instead.

[SGosnell]

There probably isn't that much variation in the weather across Guam, huh?

[internetpilot]

I've always had to use a 3rd party weather app and enter my own location. Accuweather should be renamed to InAccuWeather because when I use it and the GPS for my location, my home weather report is always significantly wrong. It also won't find even the nearest big city manually. Incantations even use the infamous HTC Flip Clock widget because it can only use AccuWeather. Hello Beautiful Widgets and Google Weather! Why do I like HTC Sense phones again? Haha.

[Drillbit]

There probably isn't that much variation in the weather across Guam, huh?

Yeah.

Dynamic location does work very well when you travel, especially the way it reconfigures your weather apps and calendar.

[SGosnell]

Yes, I tend to leave the dynamic location finder on, since I work a couple of hundred miles from my home, and stay at each for a week at a time. I just let the weather and stuff get changed automagically, instead of having to do it manually every week.