Your Google-tracked location data can be deleted automatically: Here's how
Just a month after announcing a way to auto-delete location history data, Google has started implementing the feature. The capability will let you configure your Google account in such a way that any location information tracked by the search giant will be deleted automatically at regular intervals. Here's all about the new feature and the way to use it.
Google mines location data to personalize services
To note, Google tracks the location of every individual who uses an Android device or any of the company's web services. The information is stored on Google account and used for offering personalized services, like nearby place recommendations and traffic updates. However, despite being seemingly benign, the constant tracking by search giant has raised plenty of alarms, especially among privacy advocates.
Now, there's a way to auto-delete location data
Google already offers a way to delete location data collected through 'Location History' and 'Web and App Activity'. But, the option relies on manual effort, which means a person has to dig through their Google account settings to remove the information. This is where the new, configurable auto-deletion setting introduced by the search giant comes in.
Location data to be deleted every 3 or 18 months
With the new feature, you'll get an option to choose after how long you'd want your location history to be deleted in the 'Location History' option of Google account settings. The capability will give an option to choose a period of three or eighteen months. Depending on what you choose, Google will store your data for that period and then delete it automatically.
Every piece of location information will be removed
As Google described, the feature will automatically delete all the data stored in 'Location History,' which is collected from real-time device tracking. The web and app activity data, which is collected from Google sites and apps and services like Maps, Search, or Photos is also set to get the same option but in the coming weeks.
