How to block ad tracking on your iPhone Keep your apps from uploading your data — mostly Mar 8, 2021, 5:05pm EST If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. Share this story Washington Post by Geoffrey Fowler described the author’s shock when he discovered just how many of his iPhone apps were collecting and uploading information about his usage while he slept. As we all know by now, data is a huge commodity these days. If you use a phone, laptop, or any type of computing device (unless you’re a security expert or a high-end hacker with access to sophisticated blocking tools), you’re paying for your apps by contributing marketing and other info to the companies that supply them.