Google services such as Search, Maps and YouTube gather user information to enhance customization, suggestions and advertisements. Although this may make life easier when it comes to services, it also implies that your activity is being followed and recorded all the time.
This information can be your search history, location, voice search and even app usage. In the long run, it creates a profile of your habits and preferences. Although Google offers transparency and tools to control their privacy, users do not always change them, and tracking is on default.
Luckily, by modifying some of your privacy settings, you will be able to reclaim some degree of control.
Turn Off Web & App Activity
Web and App Activity is one of the most essential settings that should be examined. This feature records your search history, browsing history and interactions on the Google services.
Doing this will ensure that Google does not save a lot of your online activity. It is also possible to enable auto-delete that deletes the stored data after the predetermined duration, 3 or 18 months.
As far as tracking is concerned, disabling this feature does not prevent it at all, however, it makes it a lot less invasive. It is also among the fastest methods of restricting the amount that Google can know about your daily online activities.
Disable Location History
Location History is another significant source of tracking and it logs everywhere you are and at what time. This information drives features such as customized maps and travel suggestions, yet it also forms an account of your movements in detail.
Switching off Location History prevents Google to store this information in the future. It is also possible to remove location data in an account.
This is a necessary step to users who are worried about their privacy. Although you sometimes might rely on the help of navigation apps, you do not always have to have a permanent record of your whereabouts history.
Manage Ad Personalization
Google takes your information to provide targeted advertising depending on your search, behavior and interests. Although this does not inevitably add to the amount of advertisements you watch, it does make them more targeted -and more customized.
To decrease this, you can switch off Ad Personalization on the account settings. This restricts Google to what it does with your information to target advertisements.
Also, you may look at and delete certain interests that Google has categorized you with. This will allow you more control over the usage of your profile to advertise.
Review and Delete Stored Data.
It is necessary to check what data Google has already gathered even after setting it. Your accounted dashboard will provide you with a breakdown of the actual results of your activity, such as searches, voice records, and location.
It is possible to delete individual pieces of information or erase full data categories in that place. When automated deletion is set up, you will not struggle to have a lot of information accumulate.
Periodically viewing such information will keep you informed of what is being collected and will provide you with constant control over your privacy.
Own Your Online Persona.
The services that Google offers are strong and convenient, yet they are associated with a trade-off regarding data collection. It is quite possible to minimise the information that is tracked and stored by making a few changes to the settings, namely: Web & App Activity, Location History, and Ad Personalization.
These transformations do not mean that Google tools have to be abandoned. Rather they enable you to balance better convenience and privacy.
In a digital age where every day data on the internet is being stored, spending a couple of minutes to make changes on your settings can go a long way in ensuring that your personal information is not leaked.
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News Source: Pcmag.com
