Free Metro Wi-Fi Tracks Your Data: 6 Ways to Stop It

Free Wi-Fi in the metro collects user data and sells it to cafes and stores for targeted advertising. You might have noticed this: you walk past a café, and soon after, you see a banner on your phone advertising their coffee. This happens because every phone has a Wi-Fi chip that periodically sends out signals searching for available networks. Each signal contains a unique identifier—the MAC address. This is how the Wi-Fi operator tracks people’s movements around the city.

Method #1: For the Lazy

Trust your phone’s manufacturer. Both iOS and Android have, for several years now, learned to use random MAC addresses when searching for Wi-Fi networks. This feature was introduced specifically to protect against tracking.

• Pros: You barely have to do anything—just keep your device updated.
• Cons: Not all Android phones support this feature, and you may need to enable it manually in the developer menu. Also, this protection can be bypassed. Each phone sends out signals with different strength and frequency, so an observer can still identify a specific device using these and other characteristics.

Method #2: For Geeks (Editor’s Note: The Most Reliable Way)

Your phone’s MAC address isn’t hardwired—it can be changed using special software. This lets you connect to networks with a fake identifier.

• Pros: Note: The following information is unverified and for informational purposes only. If you learn how to change your MAC address at will, you could, for example, get free Wi-Fi in some U.S. airports by choosing a MAC address from the range reserved for the NSA.
• Cons: You’ll need to change your MAC address regularly. If you keep using an NSA MAC address, you might attract the attention of Russian security services. Also, like the first method, this doesn’t protect you from all threats.

Method #3: For the Cautious

Don’t forget to turn off Wi-Fi. Only enable it right before connecting to your home or work network.

• Pros: This method protects against most threats.
• Cons: Unfortunately, not all. On some phones, you can’t fully disable Wi-Fi (even if it seems like you have). Plus, it’s not very convenient.

Method #4: For the Wealthy

Buy a new phone, change your number, and never connect to public Wi-Fi. Use only mobile internet.

• Pros: The free Wi-Fi operator will completely lose track of you, since you’ll get rid of both known identifiers—your phone number and your device’s MAC address.
• Cons: You might need to change not just your number, but also your mobile carrier to get mobile internet in the metro (3G or LTE). You’ll also have to ask all your contacts to save your new number.

Method #5: For the Minimalists

Give up using a phone with Wi-Fi capability.

• Pros: The metro Wi-Fi operator will lose track of you.
• Cons: Your movements can still be tracked by your mobile carrier.

Method #6: For Secret Agents

Stop using a mobile phone altogether.

• Pros: Neither the free Wi-Fi operator nor your mobile carrier will be able to track your movements. You’ll simply disappear from the radar.
• Cons: In today’s world, living without a phone is pretty difficult.