New Google Feature will Automatically Delete your Personal Data
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It isn’t a secret that Google tracks your location, activities and web usage through your phone. By allowing the company to monitor your Location History, Google can recommend a nearby restaurant, and allowing the company access to your personal data makes other Google apps more useful to you. At least that is what Google says. There already is a way for you to manage this information, but in a new blog post that Google published today, the company said that it has received feedback from users who want an easier way to manage or delete their personal data.
You can already manage this data using your Google Account. On an Android phone, go to Settings > Accounts > your Gmail address > Google Account > Manage your data & personalization. From there you can opt-out of Web & App Activity, Location History, Voice & Audio Activity, Device Information and YouTube Search History. Click on the section titled Manage your activity controls to stop Google from tracking your use of Chrome and other apps.
But the auto-delete tools that Google announced today will allow you to select how long you want Google to save your personal data. You can choose to save it for 3 months, 18 months, or until you manually delete it. If you pick 3 months or 18 months, any data older than the option you select will automatically be deleted on an ongoing basis.
“Whether you’re looking for the latest news or the quickest driving route, we aim to make our products helpful for everyone. And when you turn on settings like Location History or Web & App Activity, the data can make Google products more useful for you—like recommending a restaurant that you might enjoy, or helping you pick up where you left off on a previous search. We work to keep your data private and secure, and we’ve heard your feedback that we need to provide simpler ways for you to manage or delete it.”-Google
This new feature will first be made available for Location History and Web & App Activity and Google will start pushing it out in a few weeks.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific data types will this new auto-delete feature apply to initially?
Which specific data types will this new auto-delete feature apply to initially?
The new auto-delete feature will first be available for Location History and Web & App Activity. Google has stated it will begin rolling out this functionality in the coming weeks.
Q.What options are available for users when setting the auto-delete timeframe for their data?
What options are available for users when setting the auto-delete timeframe for their data?
Users can choose to save their personal data for three months, 18 months, or keep it indefinitely until they decide to delete it manually. Data older than the chosen period will be automatically removed.
Q.Does Google currently offer any ways for users to manage their data, prior to this new announcement?
Does Google currently offer any ways for users to manage their data, prior to this new announcement?
Yes, users can already manage their data through their Google Account. This allows them to opt-out of tracking for various activities like Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube Search History.
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