Pretty much.
Maybe.
Perhaps not.
I am a control freak and also manage a computer lab. I turn off all synching, location services and refuse any automatic download stuff. Lots of people like all that because they don't go probing into how their computers and phones work. Nothing I have gets cloud stored or automatically reported because there is enough electronic profiling of everyone without me providing additional information.
This is part of the reason why I've got a crappy phone.
Even if you turn location services off, do you think they'd stop tracking you?
Clarence
Do I need to say phones for phonin' and computers for computin' again?
Keeping up with the Joneses for no apparent reason apart from it is shiny and looks bigger?
Even though I have most of my stuff turned of in regards to GPS, location services etc. I still know I'm being electronically tracked. Not maliciously I guess, but I still don't like it. Little things like looking at RC cars, next minute, all the forums I frequent have RC car ads. I might post something, or google something, and normally at some point, I will see something in the background related to that. Like I said, its not like and entire IT team is tracking my RC car buying choices, its more just general information it has on me. The other day, I think it was on facebook, and I noticed it was asking me if I was anytime fitness, I'm like wtf, look through my windscreen at anytime fitness. Bit un-nerving. By the way, I wasn't actually attending anytime fitness. Even though my phone says I was.
its freaking awesome. you get live traffic updates. Suggestions. I was in a strange town the other day wondering what time i should leave to get to the airport and google pushed a suggestion to me with the live traffic to get to the airport to meet my flight (which it scraped from my gmail like trip it) and it has if the flight is delayed and the check in time, contact numbers etc All upcoming travel details, accomodation. Appointments from calendar. . It gives suggestions for nearby reasturaunts, points of interest. If you loose your phone you can send a massage to it from your laptop which changes the display to say "lost phone push here to call the owner" and it nails down where it is quite accurately so you can go look for it. When you are searching for stuff it uses your location to help "ie coffee it will show you the nearest coffee shops"
as you enter a new area your google quick cards pushes points of interest and tourist info to your quick page, often based on previous searches (i.e. good golf course etc) it updates the weather forecast and shows you, it lets you know what the traffic will be like on the way home and suggests alternate routes if there's roadworks or a backlog. If you show interest in certain sports or news stories on your google quick page (or whatever its called) it will ask if you would like to be updated and then it sends you updates i.e. i get updates on the aus cricket team and notifications if certain bands are touring. Even the shopping meta data that woolworths gets from me i like as it pushes tailored specials and offers etc. I've got nothing to hide, I don't visit brothels or anything. If you surf porn when you go incognito it doesn't keep any cookies or anything so you don't get embarrasing suggestions (worked this out pretty early on and rest assured i've tested it thoroughly) I trust that the credit card companies have more to loose than I do if there is any breach of security and will make good.
I enjoy the features it brings, see no downside (who really gives a fxck where i go)
Only issues i can see is if your employer was accessing where you go froma work provided phone and using it to track you (daresay they would have to disclose) or your wife found out you visited her friend for lunch every wednesday or something like that. rest assured ill simply turn my location services off if hot jenny ever responds to my advances
I don't think I am doing anything that I am concerned about being tracked on...
the he company I work for installs Airwatch on all our phone. They claim it is to wipe the phone and any company data such as emails etc if the phone is lost. The app can also track locations, monitor txts and emails, etc. Which they claim they do not do.... But they could if your were in their sights...
Forget what the phone can do internally, you only have to read the daily paper to see details of texts between claimants in legal cases of phone tracking of crime suspects.
personally doesn't worry me, one day if I go missing it could even help... Besides the personal details peeps post on the various socials is far more revealing and incriminating than anything you will get off most phones...
AH BAHHHH They can track me if they want! will be very boring, could I request a tracking report with point to point speed for windsurfing and sailing???? would be cool! 
I was just thinking about porn when I went to a porn site, and suddenly there was nothing but ads for porn. Creepy or what?
Also, I moved interstate, thousands of kilometers, but the exact same horny and available women are still trying to talk to me because they are in my area. I'm flattered that they are that interested in me to follow me interstate but how do they know????
Select to expand quotecisco said..
It makes the "Australia Card" push of some years ago seem like a joke.
Aaah memories (1987 ?) .... Peter Garrett even showed up at my Uni to give an anti Australia Card spray 
I feel the same. Send me what you want, track me, I got nothing to hide. I never break the law to any degree. I pay my taxes.
I'm also educated to marketing hype and advertising. I'm not afraid of companies promoting their products. Again we always make policies and law for the 1% of stupid people out there. Fck them, they deserve what they get. Life's lessons to teach humility and wisdom; not being a child tempted to have what you don't need, right now!. We protect the weak willed and the stupid at the expense of everyone else. Just creates loop holes for the sly foxes to manipulate these people even more!
If ya lived in a small village, tribe, everybody would know everything you say or do. Maybe its bringing us closer and god knows we need it.
Really, if you using a smart phone you should be going through all your settings when you get & you wont miss this stuff.
Re browsing Facebook & Google are the worst, if you have Facebook open in browser it can see anything else you open, Instagram also not good. At least Google gives you some control with Google Settings. If you really concerned run multiple browser types to keep the main offenders away from the rest of activity. Or you can use stuff like Tor Project & other browser add ons.
But if you doing right thing why should you be worried, you are one of billions of data sets being collected. The greatest risk would be if someone obtained your un-passworded phone & times knowing where you are at regular times. Actually greatest risk is probably if wife/husband use your data to find you cheating as even most criminals wont clear out half of everything you own 
Eppo, I don't think people are coming closer thanks to technology. Look at wet t-shirt's post up there (sorry, that's what I call you...). He doesn't have to talk to a single human being to get by in an unfamiliar place.
Old fashioned human interaction: "Hey, how're you doing?" "Good mate, you?" "Yeah pretty good thanks. Do you live around here?" Yes I do, something I can help with?" "Yep, where would you go for good coffee?" "Little shop called Blahdibla just back there on Whatever Street, best coffee in town." "Oh, great, yeah, saw that when I walked past. Cheers!"
Modern phone: A list of 12 places nearby, including McDonalds, have coffee. You choose.
For every thing you don't have to think about and remember because your phone does it for you, you must surely be losing brain function. Use it or lose it. Each to their own I suppose. That said, I like using the talking directions map thingo on the phone when I'm driving in a city, mostly so I'm not pissing off impatient tailgating idiots who can't handle the fact some people need to slow down a bit to read signs...
Select to expand quotemkseven said..
Re browsing Facebook & Google are the worst, if you have Facebook open in browser it can see anything else you open...
It doesn't need to be open.
Websites embed Google and Facebook scripts that follow you around. This is how the ads follow you, for example. You're logging into facebook in the background of the page without even realising.
This very page, that i'm writing in, has some "Symantec Authentication Client", which is rather odd. There's the usual doubleclick/googleAds stuff. And also something for criteo.com, which is "real-time digital advertising performed by machine learning AI bull****"
The web follows most people everywhere. And it can make connections. Those connections could single you out! 
But, as most people above have pointed out you are an unimportant, very boring, drop in the ocean. Don't flatter yourself; nobody is interested in you as an individual.
If you are paranoid, or have reason to believe you might actually be important or interesting to anyone use a VPN (or two or more) and something like TOR or the Epic browser. Very simple and will give you much, much, much higher levels of anonyonnymitytononanoyimty.
yeah I get a lot of ads about surfing and kiteboards, go figure.
Also I only turn the location services off when I don't want to have details recorded .
you know the deliveries and debt collections etc.
otherwise who gives a rats?
Select to expand quotecisco said...
It makes the "Australia Card" push of some years ago seem like a joke.
If you could have a choice i would prefer a chip in my wrist. Basic details easily accessible but more confidential details such as credit card etc with better encryption. Basic details including blood type, allergies, next of kin, name etc
Big corps would have to pay you to access your data for their research.
Select to expand quotetheDoctor said..
Yet they manage to lose a whole jet plane
Hmmmmmm
You do realise how big the ocean is and how deep? It can often find a day or two to find an upside down boat in a 20km x 50km area.
Bits the size of your hand and 99% of it sunk? Yeah real easy
a bit off topic....... but talking of china, this is an interesting doco imho. I think the guy towards the end talking about the light switches hits the mark
why be worried about people knowing where you've been.
when you just filled a census form online.
