Syllabus Lesson 31 of 156 · Consent, dark patterns and taking back control
Consent, dark patterns and taking back control

Taking back control

Why it matters You have now seen how tracking works. This lesson is the practical payoff: a short list of settings that switch off the biggest channels on your phone, in your browser and in your accounts, plus how to close accounts you no longer use.

Spring cleaning

Think of this like clearing out a garage. You do not need to sort every box today. Start with the big items that take up the most space, and do one area at a time.

Settings move between versions, so the paths below were checked in October 2026 and may be worded slightly differently on your device. If you cannot find one, search the settings app for the key word in bold.

On your phone (checked October 2026)

  • iPhone, Tracking: Settings, Privacy & Security, Tracking. Turn off "Allow Apps to Request to Track" so every app is refused automatically.
  • iPhone, Apple Advertising: in the same Privacy & Security section, turn off Personalised Ads.
  • Android, Ads: Settings, Privacy (or Security & privacy), Ads, then Delete advertising ID (Android 12 and later).
  • Location: for each app, choose "While using" or "Never", and turn off precise location for apps that only need your town, such as weather.
  • Permissions review: both systems list which apps can use your camera, microphone, contacts and photos. Remove what is not needed.

In your browser (checked October 2026)

  • Block third-party cookies in the privacy settings, if your browser does not already.
  • Tracking protection: in Firefox, choose Strict under Enhanced Tracking Protection; other privacy-focused browsers block trackers by default.
  • Global Privacy Control: switch it on as shown in the fingerprinting module. Check with navigator.globalPrivacyControl in the console.
  • Extensions: remove unused ones and narrow site access, as in the extensions lesson.
  • Separate profiles: one browser profile logged in to big accounts, and another for everyday browsing.

In your big accounts

Large search, social, video and shopping accounts each have an ad settings or privacy checkup page. Search the account's help for those words. In each one:

  • Turn off ad personalisation, or the use of activity from other sites and apps.
  • Turn on auto-delete for activity history, if offered (for example, after three months).
  • Review connected apps: sites you signed into with this account. Remove the ones you no longer use.

Deleting old accounts

Every old account is data that can leak in a breach, even if you never log in again. To find them:

  1. Search your email for words like welcome, verify your email or your account.
  2. Check the list of saved passwords in your password manager or browser.
  3. For each account you do not need, log in and look for Delete account (often under Settings, Account or Privacy). Deleting is better than just abandoning it.
  4. If you cannot find the option, search the site's help for "delete account", or use its contact form.

Try it Pick one item from each heading above and do it now: one phone setting, one browser setting, one account page and one old account. That is about fifteen minutes, and it covers the biggest channels. The project lesson turns the rest into a checklist.

A common misconception

"I have to do all of this or it is pointless." Each setting closes one channel on its own. Doing a few well is far better than doing none because the list looks long.

Recap

  • Phone: refuse app tracking, delete or reset the ad ID, trim location and permissions.
  • Browser: block third-party cookies and trackers, switch on GPC, tidy extensions.
  • Accounts: turn off ad personalisation, auto-delete history, remove connected apps.
  • Find and delete old accounts; every one removed is one less to leak.

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