Google will soon offer users the option of automatically deleting their search and location history after 3 or 18 months. The search engine already allows users to manually delete the data it scoops up when they use its product such as Youtube, Maps and Search.
This new offer for more control over personal data will appear in the “coming weeks”.
Google did face criticism over the personal data it collects. In November it was accused of tracking the locations of its users even if they had locations turned off. Location data could give insights to someone’s lifestyle including their political activity, religious beliefs, health and sexual orientation. Then earlier this month Google said human reviewers listened to voice recordings from its home speaker and assistant app in some cases. Google said that human reviewers could listen to audio clips from its assistant which is embedded in most Android phones and their home speaker. Google’s current web history and location tracking is paused in the setting page for each account.
In the coming weeks Google will offer the option to have this data automatically removed when it is more than a few months old. This new feature will be worldwide and there will be an option to just delete your data manually normal.
Set it and forget it: Rolling out soon to your Google Account, new auto-delete controls will make it even easier to manage your Location History and activity data → https://t.co/IkOP6srCjA pic.twitter.com/DIzQ4yJZrA
— Google (@Google) May 1, 2019
