What is telemetry data?

Definition

Telemetry data is information that a device or app measures about itself or its use and sends automatically to a remote system for recording and analysis.

Full glossary
Category
Privacy
Also called
telemetry, usage data
Last updated

NIST's glossary defines telemetry as measuring a quantity, sending the result to a distant station, and interpreting or recording it. The term comes from engineering, where sensors on a machine report back to a control room. In software it means the same thing: your phone, laptop, car or app measures something and quietly reports it to the company that made it.

What gets collected

What is collected depends on the product and its settings, so the product's privacy policy is the place to check.

When it becomes a privacy question

Telemetry isn't automatically harmful, and much of it is technical. It becomes a personal-data question when the measurements can be tied to you, for example through an account or device identifier.

Telemetry vs. cookies

Cookies are small text files that websites place on your computer. Telemetry is reported by the software or product itself.

How to protect yourself

  1. 1

    Check the privacy settings of apps and devices

    Look for options labelled diagnostics, usage data, analytics or improve the product, and turn off what you don't need.

  2. 2

    Read what an app asks to share when you install it

    Choose the basic or minimum option when an install screen offers a choice between sharing more or less diagnostic data.

  3. 3

    Remove apps you no longer use

    An app you've forgotten about can still report in the background. Uninstalling it ends that.

  4. 4

    Keep your wider exposure in check

    Telemetry is one source of data about you. Serus finds where your personal details are listed on data brokers and people-search sites and removes them.

Serus

See where your personal data is exposed

Serus finds it on data brokers and people-search sites and removes it.

Run a free scan

Frequently asked

Is telemetry the same as spyware?

No. Telemetry is reported by the product you chose to use, usually described in its privacy policy. Spyware is hidden software that secretly watches you.

Can I turn telemetry off?

Often partly. Many apps and operating systems have settings to reduce diagnostic or usage data, though some basic reporting may not be switchable. Check each product's settings.

Does telemetry include personal information?

It can. Whether it does depends on what the product collects and whether it is linked to your account or device. The privacy policy should say.

Sources

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.

Related terms

Full glossary

Cookie preferences

Choose which categories we may use. Full details for every cookie are in our Cookie Policy.

Strictly necessary

Authentication, session management, security and fraud prevention, and saving your consent choice. Always active. The site cannot function without them.

Functional

Remember preferences such as language and settings that improve your experience.

Analytics

Help us understand how the site is used, like pages visited, interactions, and performance, so we can improve it.

Marketing & advertising

Measure our marketing and deliver more relevant ads through partners such as Google, Meta, TikTok, X, and Reddit. Used only with your consent.

Your choice is saved for 12 months and applies across serus.ai, including the app. You can change it anytime from the cookie widget or the "Cookie settings" link in the footer. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that happened before withdrawal.