Alphabet Inc. owned Google taking a stand on user privacy issue stated that it would soon have an option called auto-delete for users to delete their location and Web browsing histories automatically.
Google has been developing an auto-delete feature to remove data about the places or locations users have been to, and to the websites they visit and the apps they used.
Google provides with a turn off location history, Web, and app activity; and also the manual delete of the data searches and other Google services. But this new feature will let users remove information automatically on a regular schedule. The search engine offers a middle ground between Google permanently deleting the data and users deleting searches themselves.
How to enable the feature?
Google also provides us with information on how to enable the feature.
Users from the account menu can click on how long Google can keep their search and activity data. Once the feature is enabled on Google, the feature lets users choose between keeping their data for 3 months to 18 months, or permanently until they delete it manually.
On Wednesday, Google product managers in its blog said that,
“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. You should always be able to manage your data in a way that works best for you — and we’re committed to giving you the best controls to make that happen.”
Google, on this note also mentions that the storage of a user’s Web activity makes Google products useful. By location and search activity information, the company can recommend a restaurant or allow a user to continue their Web search from where they left off.
On its Google Saftey Center Web Page, the company mentioned that,
“Without identifying you personally to advertisers or other third parties, we might use data that includes your searches and location, websites and apps you’ve used, videos and ads you’ve seen, and basic information you’ve given us, such as your age range and gender.”
The feature though is similar to the turn off search activity tracking, limits the amount of customized data Google can tie to specific users. The company announced that the auto-delete option would soon appear in the coming weeks.
In 2018, Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg announced a privacy tool ‘Clear History’ where people can see the data about the websites and the apps they visited and can delete the data from their Facebook accounts. But still, the company has not yet released the feature as they promised.
