Positioning via RF Signatures
Every Wi-Fi access point and cell tower broadcasts unique hardware identifiers (BSSID and Cell ID). Mobile analytics modules continuously measure signal strength to all surrounding sources: by matching the gathered data with public coordinate mapping databases, the algorithm calculates the device's location with meter-level accuracy.
Ways to Limit Background Coordinate Tracking
- Disable the "Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning" feature in device location settings
- Deny installed apps background access to wireless connection lists and radio scanning
- Revoke system permissions for physical activity and cellular network info from non-critical apps
- Put unused apps into deep sleep mode to stop embedded analytics SDKs