How to make sure your phone isn't being snooped on

Our smartphones are the epicenter of our digital lives. It's no wonder we go through so much pain to protect them from spyware and other bad actors. We've been over some of the ways you can protect your phone from hackers and scammers, but some of the biggest threats to your privacy are actually a lot closer to you than you'd expect. That's right, we're talking about nosy loved ones and curious bystanders.

Regardless of your personal situation, everybody deals with intrusive people in their lives. Some folks just can't mind their own business, even if they don't mean anything bad by it. Your kids, for example, shouldn't be reading your private messages. Why not give yourself peace of mind and keep your information private?

Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to keep the data on your phone hidden from bystanders and snoopers. Not only are these tricks useful at warding off sneaky bystanders, they're great data protection tips in general -- helping you live a safer, more secure life with technology.

How to know if your phone has been used without your knowledge
If you suspect that someone has been snooping on your phone, it's worth examining your device for signs of intrusion. Whether they're grabbing your phone when you're not around or installing spy apps to monitor you remotely, there's a few telltale signs that point to unauthorized use.

For starters, you'll want to check out your data use. This is one of the best ways to catch sneaky kids or grandkids in the act of messing with your phone. You can see your data use in two primary locations: your smartphone's settings and your phone bill. On iOS, you can find this information under Settings > Cellular and under the tab "Usage." On Android, simply tap Settings > Data Usage.

If your data usage is unusually high, that can indicate it's not you that's been doing all that streaming.

Another useful method is checking your web browsing history and recently opened apps. This isn't quite as foolproof as checking data usage since histories can be erased, but it's still worth looking into.

Finally, keeping tabs on your battery health is an important way to gauge phone usage. If you set your phone down at 90% and come back to a battery level of 80%, your battery is either faulty or someone is using your phone without your knowledge. Just like with data use, you can't hide battery drainage except by recharging the phone.
Source: https://www.komando.com

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