Could this hidden network be my iPhone's hotspot?

It is not possible to hide the SSID of a personal hotspot directly on an iPhone through the device's settings. The iPhone's personal hotspot functionality does not provide an option to hide the SSID.

However, it's worth noting that the visibility of the SSID is controlled by the hotspot device itself, rather than the device connecting to it. So, if you are using a separate device or router to create the hotspot and it offers the option to hide the SSID, you can configure it to do so. In such cases, the iPhone or any other device will not display the SSID in the available networks list, but you can still manually enter the SSID to connect to the hidden hotspot.

When the SSID is hidden, devices will not be able to see the network listed in their available networks list. Instead, users need to manually enter the SSID and other necessary details to connect to the hidden hotspot. This can add an extra layer of security by making the network less visible to unauthorized users. However, it's important to note that hiding the SSID does not provide strong security on its own and should be combined with other security measures, such as using strong encryption and passwords.

Useriduser wrote:

So I’m also thinking someone is adding a data connection to my iPhone

Not without physical access to your unlocked phone.

If someone added a hidden network to my unlocked phone how do i know and how do i delete it?

The time is also off by 3 hrs and i have set to auto. Sometimes many websites come in from a different location like california when im in KY