How can you secure your privacy settings during operating system installation?

1 Choose a custom installation

One of the first steps to secure your privacy settings is to choose a custom installation instead of an express or default one. A custom installation allows you to review and modify the settings that affect your privacy, such as location services, diagnostic data, voice recognition, and advertising preferences. You can also decide which apps and features you want to install and which ones you want to skip or uninstall later.

2 Disable or limit location services

Location services are features that use your device's GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular data to determine your approximate location and provide you with relevant information or services. While location services can be useful for some apps, such as maps or weather, they can also be used by third-party advertisers or trackers to target you with ads or collect your data. To secure your privacy settings, you can disable or limit location services during operating system installation. You can also change them later in the system settings or app permissions.

3 Control diagnostic data

Diagnostic data is information that your operating system collects and sends to its developer to help improve the system's performance, security, and reliability. Depending on the level of detail, diagnostic data can include basic information, such as your device model and system version, or more personal information, such as your browsing history, app usage, and error reports. To secure your privacy settings, you can control how much diagnostic data you want to share during operating system installation. You can also change this later in the system settings or opt out of certain feedback programs.

4 Manage voice recognition

Voice recognition is a feature that allows your operating system to understand and respond to your voice commands. For example, you can use voice recognition to search the web, control your device, or interact with virtual assistants. However, voice recognition also requires your operating system to record and analyze your voice input, which might raise some privacy concerns. To secure your privacy settings, you can manage how voice recognition works during operating system installation. You can also change this later in the system settings or app permissions.

5 Adjust advertising preferences

Advertising preferences are settings that affect how your operating system and its apps show you ads based on your interests and behavior. For example, you might see ads that are related to your search queries, browsing history, or app usage. While advertising preferences can make ads more relevant and personalized, they can also be intrusive and annoying. To secure your privacy settings, you can adjust your advertising preferences during operating system installation. You can also change this later in the system settings or opt out of personalized ads.

6 Review your privacy settings

The final step to secure your privacy settings is to review them after you finish the operating system installation. You can access your privacy settings from the system menu or settings app and check if there are any options that you want to change or customize. You can also review the privacy policies and terms of service of the operating system and its apps to understand how they use and protect your data. By reviewing your privacy settings, you can ensure that you have the best balance between privacy and functionality.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?