Privacy

Important: For all privacy features that you allow you are waiving your right to privacy. All diagnostic and location features (and camera and microphone access) will allow your data and location to be seen and your camera and microphone to be utilized. While some of these features can be beneficial it is recommended that you turn off any settings that allow your data and location to be used for these features. If there are features that you are interested that require your data and location to be seen, or your camera and microphone to be accessed, it is always good to view and read the privacy policies for these features to know what you’re giving up in return for these services. You can also contact the companies/apps with these concerns directly.

Permissions

At the top of the screen under the privacy settings you will see the apps that you granted permission to access your data in the past 24 hours.

You can also click on All Permissions to view all permissions and app permissions with detailed data of how and why these apps have accessed your data.

Note: Although time consuming, it is good to read the privacy policy of the apps that are accessing your data, what data is being accessed and what it is being used for. There are reasons beneficial to you to allows some apps to run diagnostics on your data but it is up to you to determine if thats necessary.

Permissions Manager

To manage permissions for apps you can go directly go to Apps from your settings or you can see what specific features are allowed on what apps if you would like to remove a certain permission from all apps.

From permissions manager, you can see which apps you allow or deny services such as:

• Body sensors
• Calendar
• Call logs
• Camera
• Contacts
• Files and media
• Location
• Microphone
• Nearby devices
• Phone
• Physical activity
• SMS
  Or additional permissions such as:
• Car information
• Install shortcuts
• Read instant messages
• write instant messages

As a default setting, apps you haven’t used in three months will be denied permissions for your privacy

Permissions manager is useful if, for example, you wanted to deny location access for every app. You can click on location and click on each individual app that allows location tracking and remove it one at a time.

Controls and Alerts

 

Camera Access

Allow or deny permissions to access you camera for all apps. Note: turning this off will cause your camera to not work at all. You wont be able to take pictures, be seen on video calls etc.

Microphone Access

Allow or deny permissions to access your camera for all apps. Note: Just like the camera access, you will not be able to use your microphone on phone calls so the other person will not be able to hear you. Voice to text will also not work.

Alert when clipboard accessed

With this setting on you will get an alert whenever an app accesses anything that you’ve copied

Samsung

 

Samsung Privacy

From here you will be directed to Samsungs website with information on how your data is used, what data is used and why your data is used.

Customization Service

This section will allow your data to be analyzed and used to create a more personalized experience on your phone. Apps will be able to use data from how you use your phone and apps. This setting will also allow your data to be accessed to be used for personalized advertisements and direct marketing to you. This means that you will receive advertisements based on your interests and how you use your phone. This could be helpful to be informed of products and services that would benefit you and your lifestyle but I would read the privacy agreement first because you are sacrificing some privacy when you turn this feature on. From this screen you will see a list of the following customization services:

Customize This Phone

When this is on you will see more customization settings appear on this screen and you will allow your data to be used to give you a more personalized experience. When this is off you will get a less personalized experience but you will have more privacy.

Customized Apps

From here you can toggle on or off which apps you would like to be personalized based on how your use them.

Data Management

From here you can choose which data the customization service can collect about you.

• Call/Message History (Phone)
• Search Data (Internet)
• Browsing History (Internet)
• Location (GPS)

Use Mobile Data

When this is on, Customization Service will use mobile data to collect information.

Privacy Notice

This section will provide all details as to how your information is collected and used.

Permissions

This sections shows what permissions you allow the customizations service to access.

Download Your Data

From here you can request all information that Samsung has about you. It may take up to three days for processing.

Erase Your Data

From here you can erase the data that Samsung has on you pertaining only to the customization service. This could take up to two days to do and data that is required by law to retain will not be deleted.

Stop Customizing On All Devices

This will turn off customization on all devices. If you just turn off customization on one device then data will still be collected on other devices. You must stop data collection on all devices here or you must turn off customization on each device individually.

Customized Ads And Direct Marketing

This switch will turn off personalized advertisements and marketing efforts for the customization service.

About Customization Service

From here you can view the recent customization service software version and open source licenses. 

Send Diagnostic Data

With this setting turned on, diagnostic data will be sent to Samsung which generally provides them with feedback on how the phone/software is working. This could be beneficial to all Samsung users but it is recommended you read the privacy policy first.

Google

 

Android personalization service

This will give you personalized content based on your app usage. For example, a text you’ve entered in one app may show as a search suggestion in another app. This information is not sent to Google or Samsung.

Android System Intelligence

This allows intelligent and adaptive features across android while keeping your data private.

Autofill service from Google

This will autofill your personal information whenever you’re required to enter is such as name, phone number, email, passwords etc. This is a useful feature but again, know how your data is being used and managed.

Google location history

This feature allows you to get a more personalized experience based on your search history on Google. It is recommended you keep this off for privacy concerns but it is up to you.

Activity Controls

This saves your internet activity on google sites and apps. Again, these feature make your experience more geared towards your interest with ads, search suggestions and news but know what you’re giving up.

Ads

This allows for your data to be used to show you personalized advertisements.

Usage and diagnostics

With this on your data will be sent to Google and some other partners to help developers make apps and products better.