Google to 'auto-delete' web tracking history

Google's main campus is seen as a sit-in to protest against Google's retaliation against workers takes place within Google's main cafeteria in Mountain View, California on May 1, 2019. PHOTO | AMY OSBORNE | AFP

By  BBC

What you need to know:

  • The search giant already allows users to manually delete the data it scoops up when they use its products such as YouTube, Maps and Search.
  • Currently, Google's web history and location tracking can be "paused" in the settings page for each account.

Google is to offer users the option of automatically deleting their search and location history after three months.

The search giant already allows users to manually delete the data it scoops up when they use its products such as YouTube, Maps and Search.

Now, in a bid to offer more control over personal data, it will offer the option of automatic deletion after three or 18 months.

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Google said the new tools would appear in the "coming weeks".

SCRUTINY

The search giant has faced scrutiny over the personal data it collects.

In November, it was accused of tracking where people went even when they had switched off location history.

And earlier in April, to the surprise of many people, Google said human reviewers sometimes listened to voice recordings from its Home speaker and Assistant app.

Currently, Google's web history and location tracking can be "paused" in the settings page for each account.

But in the coming weeks it will offer the option to have this data automatically removed when it is more than a few months old.

It will not , however, offer automatic deletion of YouTube watch history or voice commands issued via Home and Assistant.

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