Every way your phone tracks your location - and how to stop it

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Location settings can expose private data. Several phone signals can reveal your location. A few privacy checks can reduce tracking. You know where you were this afternoon. Perhaps so do your family, friends, or colleagues. However, you might also have unwittingly shared your whereabouts with companies and other organizations. Connected devices give us the opportunity and convenience of on-the-go maps, satellite navigation, sharing our location with those we trust, and even ordering products and services for quick delivery. But the combination of GPS systems, cellular towers, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth, and other signals can combine to pinpoint your location -- even when we don't want it to. You might think turning off GPS on your smartphone means that you can't be tracked. However, even if you think your location is private, carrying your handset around and connecting to specific services can still reveal where you are. If you want to understand how location tracking on your smartphone works and some of the tactics you can employ to reduce the risk of others knowing where you are, read on. What is GPS location tracking? Global…