How to prevent iOS apps with camera access from tracking you

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Any applications that have access to the camera can take photos and videos without the user's knowledge. Life hacker tells how to protect yourself from this.

For photo applications to work, you definitely need access to the camera, which we often provide without hesitation. All would be fine, but, despite the strict moderation of the App Store, there can still get malicious applications that will spy on users.

Developer Felix Krause has done some research by writing an application disguised as a social network and found out some interesting facts. It turns out that as soon as the app gains access to the camera, we allow it to do the following:

• use both cameras of the device;
• record video and take photos when the application is running;
• record video and take photos without notifying the user;
• immediately upload the filmed media content to the Internet;
• use face and emotion recognition of subjects.

Of course, all of the above can happen without any indication or notification. Felix showed the surveillance process in a short video.

How to protect yourself from surveillance

The surest way (no, this is not duct tape) is to deny applications in which you are in doubt from accessing the camera. This can be done in the privacy settings.

1. Open "Settings" → "Privacy".
2. Go to the "Camera" section and turn off the necessary toggle switches.

With this, you can still post photos and videos. You just need to create them in the standard iOS camera, and then publish, for example, to Instagram, choosing import from the gallery. Yes, you will have to allow access to "Photos", but the application will no longer be able to track you using the camera.