Tracking your data in 2025 seems inevitable. Whether you use iPhone or Android phoneyour carrier probably collects all sorts of data about how, where and when you use your mobile phone.
Last year, T-Mobile quietly began marketing a new tracking method called “profiling and automated decisions.” Spotted by Reddit users and The mobile reportthe new option is enabled by default. While the company says it doesn't use the information it collects from such tracking today, it could later be used for “future decisions that produce legal or otherwise significant effects on you.”
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But the self-proclaimed “non-translator” is not alone. All three major US wireless providers collect data; here's what they collect and how you can turn it off. It's also worth noting that some of this you need to want to continue, especially identity verification.
While we focus on the three major wireless carriers that make up the majority of the US wireless market, it is likely that smaller providers and even home Internet services engage in similar collections. Heading to your account profile or privacy page should help you understand what's being collected and how you can adjust it.
We recommend checking this regularly just to make sure you are aware of any changes carriers may have made or new collection methods they may have added.
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AT&T
As mentioned above, T-Mobile isn't the only one collecting data about how you use their services. You can check your AT&T privacy settings by logging into your account and going to Profile followed by Privacy Choices.
The carrier has four main privacy switches:
- Personalized plus: This setting “uses data like web browsing and precise location for customization,” including for offers and ads. This data includes your precise location, web browsing, viewing history, applications, as well as data that AT&T collects from advertisers, such as demographic information, zip code and age range. The carrier says this data “does not access or use the content of your texts, emails or calls”.
- Personalized: This option “allows the use of your data for automated decision-making”, including the use of artificial intelligence to generate more customized advertising and marketing tailored and “relevant to your interests”. It is on by default.
- Identity verification: This “allows us to help non-AT&T companies perform identity verification and fraud prevention,” such as the bank to “help protect your accounts from fraud, verify your identity, and ensure that you authorize certain transactions.” AT&T says it doesn't allow companies to use this verification “for any purpose other than those services.” This is on by default.
- Share or sell my personal information: This allows AT&T to “share limited information to create, deliver and measure ads about things you might like,” including targeted ads. This is on by default.
Of the four, you can easily turn off all settings, though I'd recommend keeping identity verification turned on for all your account lines.
There's also an “automated messaging” option that allows the carrier to contact you “by phone or text with important non-marketing information about your AT&T services, such as installation and repair appointments, billing and account information.” It is on by default and I would recommend keeping it on as well.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile's privacy options are a bit more varied. To access the company Privacy Centersign in to your T-Mobile account and then click My account in the upper right corner, followed by Profile. From there scroll to the bottom and select privacy and notifications and privacy panel.
From there you will see the following:
- Share data for public and scientific research: T-Mobile says that this option enables it “to help support research initiatives for the public good, such as pandemic response and the development of new technologies.” Created last year, the carrier says the program is in response to requests from “external researchers or research institutions.” T-Mobile says this data will be “de-identified as much as possible before it's shared” and won't include personal information like your name, though it may share location, demographics and usage data. It also says that data shared here will not be given to law enforcement.
- Analysis and reporting: This takes data from your device, including app usage information such as how often it was opened and zip code, and combines it with “self-reported data such as age range (eg, 25 to 34) and gender , to prepare aggregate business and marketing reports,” which T-Mobile may then use and share with other companies. The carrier says that these reports do not identify individuals. This is on by default.
- Advertising options: This is for personalized adswhere the operator collects details about the apps you download and how long you've used them, combining them with other data it collects, such as your location and demographic data. As with similar options from other providers and sites, turning this off doesn't prevent you from seeing ads, but the operator says you're “more likely to see ads for things you like” if you keep these options. This is on by default.
- Product development: This allows T-Mobile to use your personal information, including your precise location, the phone numbers you call, the apps and websites you use, and to help advertisers “improve the ads they serve you.” show”.
- Profiling and automated decisions: This is apparently the latest T-Mobile privacy option we mentioned above, and while the carrier says it's not doing anything about it today, it appears it's giving itself the option to do so going forward. On its site it describes this as taking personal data it collects about you “to assess, analyze or predict certain personal aspects about your work performance, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, confidentiality, behaviour, location or movements . ” Default is on.
- Don't sell or share my personal information: This allows you to tell T-Mobile not to sell or share the data it has about you with other companies. On company notes on its site that it may still share “some personal information with our service providers so that you can, for example, receive products and services from us.” As an annoying extra step, the carrier notes on its website that you can limit the data that third-party advertisers share with T-Mobile through its Magenta advertising platform, but Quit having to download a separate app.
Of these options, I would recommend turning them all off.
In addition to the dashboard, the T-Mobile Privacy Center website details about something called “phone privacy”. T-Mobile says it uses the information collected there to “identify offers for T-Mobile calling plans, fraud protection and emergency response,” but that under this policy it does not collect “your name, address, phone number or the content of your phone calls.” It also says it doesn't share this data with other companies so it can “help them market their stuff.”
Verizon
Like T-Mobile, Verizon has a number of different options when it comes to privacy. This can be found by logging in, clicking on account then account overview. From there, choose edit your profile and settings and choose manage your privacy settings.
From there you will see the following:
- Customer Proprietary Network Information: This allows Verizon to use the information it has about you to sell you other services beyond what you already pay for. This is on by default.
- Business and Marketing Insights: This takes information about your location, web browsing, “app/feature usage,” and your demographics, and then combines it with information Verizon receives from other companies to help Verizon create “insights” like for example if many people often travel to a certain place at a certain time. The carrier says this information is collected “in aggregate” so it can help it and “others better understand consumer actions.” This is on by default.
- Custom experience: This takes information about “the websites you visit and the apps you use” to “help us better understand your interests”, such as if you like sports or games. Verizon says it does not share or sell this information with others. It is on by default.
- Custom experience plus: This combines information collected by the CPNI and Custom Experience sections so that Verizon can “personalize” its marketing and recommendations to you, and “develop plans, services and offers” that would be “more attractive to you.” This is an opt-in and the operator says it does not sell this data to other companies for their respective advertising, although opting in here will automatically enable Business and Marketing Insights.
- Identity verification: This shares “certain account, device, and profile data” with third parties to help “verify your identity and protect against identity theft and account takeover.” This is on by default.
There is also a A customized experience tab that allows you to reset your A customized experience and Custom experience a plus options, and Verizon will “stop using the web browsing and location data” it previously collected as part of the program.
Of all Verizon's options, I would recommend turning off all but identity verification. That should stay.