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Can personalization be turned off?

Is it possible to avoid all collection of tracking and usage information used for "personalization" or for any form of profiling, even if using a "random ID"? That is, to avoid the machine learning about my preferences, movements, usage of device, etc.

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.15

Posted on Dec 23, 2019 6:58 AM

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Posted on Dec 23, 2019 9:34 AM

Hi robinfrommayville,


I use a Mac Mini at work and haven't signed into iCloud as it's used for work. If you don't sign into iCloud that would be a first step.


You can also disable spotlight suggestions so it only searches your Mac and not the internet.


You can also turn off notifications as well.


Others might be able to provide more tips.

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Question marked as Best reply

Dec 23, 2019 9:34 AM in response to robinfrommayville

Hi robinfrommayville,


I use a Mac Mini at work and haven't signed into iCloud as it's used for work. If you don't sign into iCloud that would be a first step.


You can also disable spotlight suggestions so it only searches your Mac and not the internet.


You can also turn off notifications as well.


Others might be able to provide more tips.

Dec 23, 2019 12:40 PM in response to Soren Pearson

Thank you for your response. I have turned off Spotlight suggestions and don't use iCloud for anything except "Find My Phone" though that may be terminated soon. I want to find a way to not be part of ubiquitous feedback to advertisers or rogue actors or tech companies, even if it's allegedly privatized, and I definitely don't want some AI to "guide" me. May have to go back to Linux, Tor, et al, to regain some sense of trust in what I'm seeing on a screen.


Unless, of course, some company begins to come to its senses. Now THAT would be an innovation!


(I'm not a luddite, just a retired microprocessor design engineer who hates seeing what the tech field has become.)

Can personalization be turned off?

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