Utica And Rome iPhone Users Finding Hidden Maps On Phones

iPhone users in the Utica and Rome areas of Central New York are learning that there is a hidden map feature on their phones tracking their every move, and cataloging where photos are taken.

Have you ever wondered how your iPhone is able to automatically pull up directions to work or home when you get in the car? Or, when you drive somewhere around the same time every day that it's able to guess where you're going and provide traffic information? This feature is not only part of location services, but a separate and more in-depth thing called “Significant Locations.”

Want to know how to access it and, if you’d like, turn it off? Here are your steps from Kim Komando:

Open your iPhone’s settings
Tap on Privacy
Select Location Services
Then tap System Services
Scroll down until you see Significant Locations and tap on that"

After entering your password or opening up your phone with FaceID, you’ll see a list of locations you’ve visited. According to Apple, this feature exists so that the phone can learn the places that are significant to us and therefore be able to provide personalized services

Android Users Check Your Google Photos Settings

Unless you specifically turned off location tracking for pictures, every photo you snap will have the location where it was taken stored within its data. Here is how you can check on the Google Photos app  according to USA Today:

• Open the Google Photos app

• In the bottom bar, tap Search

• Under the Places section, tap View All

When opened, the Places section will show you a grouping of all the photos taken in a specific place. If you tap on a folder, it will bring up a map with location dots to show the precise location where you took the photo."

This is just a little creepy if you weren't expecting it.