What The Orange Dot On Your iPhone Actually Means
We all know how important smartphones are in our everyday lives. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, an incredible 3.5 billion people around the globe own one - that's nearly 85% of the American population! Smartphones can do almost anything nowadays and it seems like 47% of us couldn't live without them.
With such great power comes great responsibility though; have you ever noticed a mysterious orange dot on your phone screen? Read on to explore why this little orange dot is so important!
You May Not Have Noticed It Before
After the iOS 14 update, users began seeing an orange dot on their phones. But unless you're super tech-savvy, you might not have understood what the new iPhone feature actually means.
This Feature Began After The iOS 14 Update
After installing iOS 14, your iPhone may have looked different. This update included a new look for the redesigned widget gallery, which helps users to better organize their apps.
Messages were also given a new feature with improved group messaging. Maps were also given a new feature with improved cycling directions for those riding a bike while using the app.
This Update Also Included Changes To User Privacy
iOS 14 introduced a number of changes designed to improve user privacy. These features were intended to help make app permissions more transparent and to help users better understand what kind of access they're agreeing to when downloading an app.
Is Your Smartphone Listening To You?
Like many of us, The Sun reporter Miranda Knox was worried that her smartphone was listening in on her conversations. She decided to test her theory and prove that it was indeed happening, and it wasn't just paranoia. Knox went into her phone settings and turned on the mic permission for all of her apps.
For the experiment, she chose a few obscure topics that she's never searched for or shown interest in. She logged into her social media account and began talking out loud about those subjects while she scrolled and swiped on her phone.
Knox Began Receiving Targeted Ads
Within days of beginning the experiment, Knox began seeing ads related to the obscure topics that she chose to test. "I felt like I was being spied on," she wrote in an article for The Sun. "Within days I was inundated with ads related to these key words."
She left the mic on and continued her daily routine. The ads continued. "I had a conversation with my husband about getting an armchair while my phone was next to me on the sofa-- and I was inundated with furniture ads."
Here's What A Cyber Expert Had To Say
After hearing of Miranda Knox's experience and frightening results, DefenceWorks founder and cyber expert Edward Whittingham said he's not surprised. He told The Sun, "There's no question as to whether or not our phones can listen to us, but the million-dollar question is are they?"
He advised people who are concerned about big business eavesdropping on your conversations should check the permissions on each of your phone apps. "You might be surprised at just how many have or request access to your microphone, camera, or even phone contacts. When there's no obvious or tangible reason as to why they'd need it," he warns.
It's Up To Us To Protect Our Privacy
It may seem like the companies creating these smart speakers, smartphones and virtual assistants aren't being completely transparent with their customers. What else are they not coming forward about?
It's sounding more and more like we have to do our own detective work and make sure that we're not blindly agreeing to open our home for these devices to record our conversations. Because let's be honest, who really reads all that fine print in the terms and conditions agreement?
If The Orange Dot Randomly Appears, An App Is Using Your Mic
When you see the orange dot appear on the upper right hand of your phone, that means that your phone's microphone is being used. You'll see it appear when you make a phone call or start a voice recording. This makes sense because you'll need your microphone for these functions. But what if you see it when you're not talking on the phone or sending a voice text? That's when you should be worried...
If you see the orange dot appear while you're browsing the internet or using an app, that's when you should be worried. That little orange dot indicates that something on your phone is accessing your microphone. That means that your conversations are being recorded and anything that you say around your phone is likely being sent to the cloud. Don't be surprised if you start seeing ads served to you based on your recent conversations.
Take Back Your Privacy
Now that you know what the orange dot means, you can take back control of your privacy. Go into the settings on your phone and click on each of the apps you have downloaded to see what it has access to, including your microphone, camera, location, and contacts.
It's likely that you may find more than one culprit that has access to your microphone without any practical reason as to why.
The Orange Dot Won't Tell You Much Else
While the orange dot indicates that the microphone on your phone is being used, it doesn't tell you much else. It won't tell you exactly what's been recorded, or for how long. It won't even tell you which app was using your mic, or what it's using the recording for.
That doesn't sound fair, right? Raising awareness is a step in the right direction, and you are now more informed of when your privacy is being invaded. It might even make you think twice before you download another app!
