First lets just start with most new phones have TWO FORMS OF GPS built-in chip & software and you can only turn off one! :(
So turning one off one is OK but pretty much pointless. You are still being tracked everywhere you go. So no YOU CAN'T TURN IT OFF :) Well there is one phone :)
This is why like all things that INVADE your PRIVACY it's for your safety! LOL
"The United States Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Enhanced 911 (E911) program requires that all cell phones transmit their phone number and location when dialing 911."
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps-phone2.htm

Next how easy it to get hacked? iPhone about 5 minutes in Starbucks and any halfway hacker has your stuff. :( Android about the same as an iPhone just a little longer maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Solution be very quick in Starbucks LOL just kidding. Windows phone not the fastest, not the most compatible phone, but it is very hard to hack! The reason iPhone's & Android's are so easy to hack, they don't have even one security certificate. When they were being sold, Apple & Google thought they would never be needed. Blackberry bought half and Windows bought the other half, windows also thought they wouldn't be needed but bought them just in case! Blackberry is mainly a business or government phone so they have always had excellent security.

Then the only phone that NEVER GETS HACKED :) BLACKBERRY! And now the normal response from people is, I know a guy that can do it, I don't have anything on my phone that I care about - well OK. :D
And I want to meet the guy that hacks Blackberry phones he is a hacking GOD. LOL

From what I have been reading Apple & Google are trying very hard to fix the HUGE security problems with their phones. I know one option they have mentioned would work well. Running everything on there phones through a secure VPN connection to their servers. And that is a good idea, the problem is the phone it's self will still get HACKED! :(

So here are a few links to software you can add to slow down the would be hackers or stop them altogether! Remember these are my opinions, I don't have anything to do with any of these companies. I can be a little brutal at times but it's 100% my truth as I see it when repairing peoples tablets, desktops, laptops. I don't repair phones. :)

1. Change EVERY DEFAULT PASSWORD YOU CAN ON YOUR PHONE. And don't replace 0000 with 1234, if you can change you bluetooth password change that FIRST. Only turn on your wireless network when you are using it! Don't leave your phone connected to any site, app, anything accessing the internet. Don't plug your phones into your computer to charge them, if you can avoid it just never plug your phone into your desktop or laptop. And if you have an iPhone that is the easiest way for a hacker to get on your computer. You left Starbucks with a hacked iPhone, go home plug into your computer know the hacker has access to both! How do you get pictures, videos, music back & forth to your phone? Use OneDrive YES ONEDRIVE you know the ONLY cloud system that has NEVER been hacked. upload & download from OneDrive. I have a Blackberry and never plug it into my computer. :) It's very, very easy on a Android or iPhone. Use OneDrive's secure servers to keep you secure.

2. Install a password saver that stores really hard passwords with one HUGE master password. So many times people use easy to enter on the phone passwords and that makes them easy for the hacker to also enter! :( I like Lastpass, one account about $12 per year can cover all your devices, mobile, laptop, desktop, tablets. And you can login and setup all your really LONG HARD passwords on your desktop or laptop then just sign-in on your phone. https://lastpass.com/

3. install anti-virus, anti-spyware, internet security software. There are a ton of them out there most about the same price. I see lots of sites listing McAfree as #1 it's hard for me to believe since their anti-virus, anti-spyware for laptops & desktops is so bad. I scan computers all the time that have it running, saying all is good, nothing to see here! Then Avast, AVG & Panda will find anywhere from 3 to 30 bad things installed and running! So for me I would use one of the top three I have seen find things when both Norton's & McAfree say all is good. Only thing I can think is the sites saying how wonderful it is must be getting perks. :) Most people that know me know I would NEVER SELL OUT and can never be bought!
AVG for Iphones - http://www.avg.com/us-en/for-ios
AVG for Androids - http://www.avg.com/us-en/antivirus-for-android
AVG FREE for Androids - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.antivirus&hl=en
Avast FREE & Pay for Androids - https://www.avast.com/free-mobile-security https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avast.android.mobilesecurity
Avast for iPhones - https://www.avast.com/secureline-ios (It does have file compression which I wouldn't do on an iPhone only 1 or 2 CPU's no GPU, 1 gig of ram = to slow)
Panda for Androids - http://www.pandasecurity.com/usa/homeusers/solutions/mobile-security/
Panda FREE for Androids - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pandasecurity.pandaav
Kaspersky Mobile Security for BlackBerry - http://www.kaspersky.com/downloads/productupdates/mobile_for_blackberry
But what most people don't know :) with BBM you can use Android & iPhone apps. I wouldn't never use either. :)

4. The easy one make sure like all computers/software keep your phone OS, software updated!

Any questions, comments, want to tell me you know a guy? LOL
Just ask or reply. :)