A young man sits in a café with a worried expression, checking his phone and unknowingly reinforcing the myth that closing apps stops all tracking.
Written by on July 14, 2025

Geolocation and Brain Traps: 6 Myths That Are Sabotaging Your Smartphone Habits

Entertainment Article

We live in a world where sharing your location has become second nature. You open your map app to find a café, send your ETA to a friend via messenger, book a ride home, or track a delivery in real time. It all works seamlessly — until a little voice in your head whispers: “Wait… is this draining my battery? Am I being watched?”

Search queries like “does sharing location drain battery” pop up millions of times a month, and it is easy to see why. Location tracking feels invisible, quiet, and vaguely invasive. But here is the twist: many of the fears surrounding geolocation aren’t rooted in fact, but in what psychologists call cognitive distortions — mental shortcuts and biases that cloud our judgment.

So here we would like to bust six of the most common geolocation myths, so you not only understand what is really going on when your GPS is on, but you will also gain practical tips to use location features safely, efficiently, and with confidence.

“The Big Brother Effect” Myths Group

Myth 1: “Any App that Asks for GPS Access Is Spying On Me”

This myth is deeply emotional — and understandable. You download a new app, and within minutes it is asking for your location. Your first reaction? “Why do they need this? What are they collecting? Are they selling my data?”

But let’s separate fear from fact:

  1. Modern mobile operating systems like iOS and Android now enforce strict privacy controls. Every app must request permission before accessing your location. And since recent updates, they even need to specify whether they want access always, only while using the app, or never.
  2. You are always in control. You can revoke GPS permissions at any time, and newer OS versions will remind you if an app is using location data too often or in the background.
  3. Transparency is improving. Android and iOS now offer visual indicators (like a green dot or pop-up alert) when location services are active — especially in the background.

Quick Tip: Go to your phone’s settings right now and audit location permissions.

  • On Android: Settings → Apps → Permissions → Location.
  • On iOS: Settings → Privacy → Location Services.

Only grant access to trusted apps, and when in doubt, select “Allow only while using the app.”

Fun Fact: Apple introduced a feature in iOS called the “Privacy Report,” which shows exactly how often apps accessed your location, camera, or microphone in the past seven days. Android has something similar under “Privacy Dashboard.” These tools help put you back in the driver’s seat.

A young man sits in a café with a worried expression, checking his phone and unknowingly reinforcing the myth that closing apps stops all tracking.

Myth 2: “Google/Apple Always Knows Where I Am, Even If I’m Offline”

This one’s a digital-age ghost story. The idea that Big Tech is constantly tracking you — even when you are offline or in airplane mode — has been repeated so many times, it starts to sound true.

But here’s the reality:

  • Your smartphone needs access to networks (cellular, Wi-Fi, or GPS satellites) to determine precise location. Without that it cannot do much..
  • If you turn off Location Services or go fully offline, apps and services can’t update your real-time position. They might estimate based on the last known location, but that’s not the same as live tracking.
  • Cached data is not spying. Some apps might remember your last visited places (like map history), but that data stays on your device unless you choose to sync or upload it.

Quick Tip: Use airplane mode or disable location sharing if you are uncomfortable — but know that when your phone is truly offline, it is not broadcasting your location anywhere.

Actually, the myth of “permanent tracking” likely stems from features like “Find My iPhone” or “Google Find My Device.” These services do attempt to update your location frequently — but only if they are enabled, your device is online, and you’ve agreed to their terms. They’re lifesavers in case of theft or loss — not surveillance tools.

The Illusion of Control — What You Think You Know About Location Sharing

Many users believe they are fully in charge of their location data just because they’ve tapped a few settings or closed a few apps. But smartphones and modern operating systems are far more automated — and nuanced — than we often realize. This false sense of control can lead to unintentional data exposure or missed safety opportunities.

Let’s see the most common myths that make users think they’re managing their geolocation well — when in reality, they may not be.

Myth 3: “I’m in Control—I Choose Who Sees My Location and When”

The truth: You think you do — but apps and OS-level permissions can tell a different story.

Many apps request location access “only while using the app,” but users often misunderstand what that means. Some apps still perform background refreshes or sync location when they’re “minimized,” not truly closed.

What’s more, even if you’ve disabled GPS for a specific app, your phone may still estimate location via Wi-Fi networks, cell towers, or Bluetooth beacons. Unless you dive into your system settings and understand all sources of location data, you might not be as invisible as you think.

Tip: To truly limit location sharing, check both app permissions and system-level location services. On Android and iOS, you can also toggle “Precise location” off for individual apps.

And if you’re actively using a location tracker like Number Tracker, remember that it operates only with clear user consent and does not track secretly. Transparency is key to ethical tracking — and apps that value your trust reflect that.

Myth 4: “If I Сlose an App, It Stops Tracking Me”

The Truth: Swiping Up Doesn’t Mean Shutting Down.

It’s easy to assume that closing an app from your multitasking screen fully stops its processes — but this isn’t always the case. Some apps use background location services to maintain connectivity or provide alerts (think: delivery apps or navigation tools). Depending on the OS, permissions, and app design, tracking may continue even after the interface disappears.

In fact, iOS and Android have separate battery and privacy settings that allow certain services to persist — especially if you’ve granted them background refresh rights.

Tip: Want to know what’s really active? Go to your phone’s location access log or privacy dashboard (available in Android 12+ and iOS 15+). These show a timeline of apps that accessed your location and when.

The Technical Trap — How Battery and Signal Myths Keep You in the Dark

So far, we’ve exposed fears and false control when it comes to location sharing. But now it is time to dive into the tech talk — because many of the biggest myths are dressed up as “common sense” or tech-savvy assumptions.

Welcome to the technical misconceptions that quietly shape how people think about GPS, battery life, and what it really means to share your location.

Let’s bust two of the most common myths that lead to fear, bad decisions, or simply missed opportunities in how we use location-based features.

A young woman swipes up to close an app on her iPhone, unaware that closing  apps does not mean that GPS is disabled.

Myth 5: “Location Tracking Drains Your Battery Fast”

The belief: If GPS is enabled, your battery is in constant danger.

This myth may have been true 10 years ago — but modern smartphones are far more energy-efficient. Today’s devices are designed to use multiple methods to determine location, most of which are lightweight in terms of power consumption.

Here’s what actually uses your battery when it comes to location:

What doesn’t drain your battery much:

  • Passive GPS (checking location occasionally)
  • Wi-Fi-based positioning
  • Cell tower triangulation
  • On-demand or low-frequency updates

What can drain your battery:

  • Apps constantly pinging your location in real-time
  • High-frequency updates (e.g., every few seconds)
  • Apps with poor optimization or hidden background tasks

Pro Tip: Choose apps that are optimized to balance background tracking with efficiency. For example, Number Tracker uses background location updates but is engineered to minimize battery impact while providing real-time tracking capabilities when needed.

Did you know? Streaming a video drains your battery more than location tracking in most cases. Navigation apps like Google Maps typically consume 2–4% per hour, depending on screen brightness and network use—not a huge deal.

Myth 6: “Location Only Works If GPS Satellites Are Available”

The belief: No satellites = no tracking. You’re in a dead zone.

The truth: This idea dates back to early GPS systems — but it is no longer accurate. Today’s smartphones use Assisted GPS (A-GPS), which combines satellite data with faster, ground-based systems. Even without a single satellite, your phone can determine your location using Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth beacons, or mobile signal triangulation.

In fact, indoors or in dense urban areas, Wi-Fi can often be more accurate than GPS. And with the right configuration, your device can pinpoint your location to within 10 meters — no satellite required.

Pro Tip: For the best accuracy, keep both Wi-Fi and mobile data turned on — even if you are not actively using them. This enhances your location fix and helps apps perform better. And when traveling through areas with poor reception, offline maps still work thanks to stored satellite data.

Location Tracking Without Fear or Fiction

Myths around geolocation aren’t just about paranoia — they are about outdated thinking. From battery life to GPS capabilities, many beliefs simply don’t hold up against how modern location systems really work.

Today’s smartphones are designed with privacy, efficiency, and user control at their core. When you know how to use these tools wisely, location tracking becomes less about fear — and more about smart, safe convenience.

So here is your final takeaway: use reliable tracking tools that are transparent, efficient, and respect your privacy. Like Number Tracker — a smart app that lets you request someone’s location using just a phone number with transparency in mind, so you can receive accurate data when you need it, and privacy when you don’t.