A peer-reviewed study from Trinity College Dublin found that Android phones send data to Google on average every **4.5 minutes**, even when the screen is off and the device is untouched.

The research, led by Professor Doug Leith, revealed that both Android and iOS devices regularly transmit telemetry, device identifiers, and location hints in the background.

This constant data sharing raises serious privacy concerns, as it can enable detailed tracking of user behavior and location over time.

Tech educator James (@jamescoder12) shared a clear list of 12 practical Android settings to significantly reduce the amount of data sent to Google.

Key steps include disabling WiFi and Bluetooth scanning, deleting the Advertising ID, turning off Usage & Diagnostics, and managing Web & App Activity.

While these changes won't stop all tracking, they can meaningfully limit Google's background data collection.