Find My iPhone: The Privacy and Security Debate

Posted on January 5, 2022February 9, 2022 by Dora Yale

skyvpn-iPhone Find My Dilemma: to Turn On or Off

Nowadays, you can’t live without a phone. It’s as essential as a wallet, your ID card, the keys to your home, and your laptop. And so losing it can be a nightmare – especially if it’s one of the new iPhone models that now cost literally thousands of dollars. Not only do you have to re-login to everything – and don’t start on how many passwords you’ve already forgotten – if the lost phone falls into the wrong hands, all your personal data and information is subject to theft as your security can be breached.

Thankfully, iPhone users don’t need to worry as much thanks to the in-built Find My app.

What does the iPhone’s Find My App Do?

Here are 10 Q&As to break it down:

Q#1: What does it do?

A#1: Simply speaking, the Find My app is used to track the geographical location of Apple devices.

Q#2: What devices can the Find My app work on?

A#2: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, Mac, and AirPods.

Q#3: What features does iPhone’s Find My app have?

A#3: View Location, Play a Sound, Lost Mode, Remote Erase and Activation Lock.

Q#4: Do all the devices have the full features of Find My app?

A#4: No. iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch have full features. Mac has View Location, Play a Sound, Remote Erase and Activation Lock features. AirPods has only View Location and Play a Sound features.

Q#5: What is the View Location feature on the Find My iPhone app?

A#5: Find My app can reveal you your lost devices’ locations on a map so you can quickly find them.

Q#6: What is the Play a Sound feature on Find My iPhone app?

A#6: Find My can make your lost devices play a sound to determine its specific position. When the lost device is around you, you can hear the sound and find it. When the lost device is not around you, its sound can be heard by those nearby who can connect with you based on the information on the lock screen of your iPhone or lost device.

Q#7: What is the Lost Mode feature on the Find My iPhone app?

A#7: When you lose your Apple device, you can set it to Lost Mode remotely. Then, your device will be locked, and you can track its location. And, you can send a message to the lock screen of your lost device. The device finder will connect with you according to the message. However, the finder can never unlock your device or access any other data.

Q#8: What is the Remote Erase feature on the Find My iPhone app?

A#8: The Remote Erase feature on Find My iPhone can stop your device from being abused in the wrong hands. Once you find out your device is lost, you can use the remote erase feature immediately to return your device to the factory setting. If you want to retrieve the deleted data, you can get it back from iCloud.

Q#9: What is the Activation Lock feature on the Find My iPhone app?

A#9: Activation Lock aims to stop your devices from being used or sold. As soon as you enable Find My on your device, the Activation Lock will be automatically turned on. Your device won’t be reactivated unless your Apple ID and password are provided.

Q#10: Can Find My still work when my devices are offline or sleeping?

A#10: Yes. It can help you find lost devices even though they are offline or sleeping by sending Bluetooth signals. All nearby Apple devices can detect the signals before telling their locations to iCloud. Then, the information will be seen on the Find My app.

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How to Set Up Find My iPhone?

Setting up Find My iPhone can be a bit of a pain. You can visit Apple’s official site to learn more.

Should We Turn Off Find My for Security and Privacy?

Since iPhone Find My app runs based on the exposure of devices’ locations, some say it’s unsafe. Why let Apple track your location? It seems invasive, right?

But based on Apple’s privacy principles, which are some of the best in the market, there is no need to worry.

First, location data won’t be sent out until the inquiry is obtained. Without that inquiry, Apple doesn’t transmit or record your location data.

Second, your device’s location data will be stored on Apple’s server for just 24 hours before it is deleted forever.

Third, the data in lost mode is stored in the lost device and can only be seen by you. It is never released to third parties.

Fourth, the Find My app will be automatically exited if your iPhone remains inactive for 15 minutes.

Fifth, remote lock can be used to lock the screen of your lost device to stop others visiting your device, which is a great safety feature that implements the full extent of Apple’s security measures.

Sixth, remote erase can be used to completely eliminate your data from particular devices.

Seventh, family sharing is available, but optional.

Therefore, based on Apple’s current promises, your data and your device are still safe. What you should feel worried about is not so much the safety of your device, but your online security and privacy when browsing the web.

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What is a Better Way to Protect My Online Security and Privacy Besides iPhone’s Find My app?

Just as we discussed, if your devices fall into the wrong hands, your data will possibly be abused or stolen. However, even if your device is in your hand, can you confidently say your data is safe?

Absolutely not.

As you get online, your location is continually exposed through your IP address and your online habits and likes. Even your sensitive information may be known easily by internet hackers and sold to third parties. All the data about you is grasped in your internet service provider’s hands when you browse. And Apple’s Find My app and its on-device security measures cannot help you with that.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to guarantee your online privacy and security.

Right now, more than 20 million users are protecting their online security and privacy by using SkyVPN for its following features: