With the growing interest in online privacy, the main technology companies have been making changes in favor of offering greater controls to users over their data, and in this line they continue to work from Google, which has now just announced a series of changes and improvements to strengthen user privacy in some of its main services.
The changes include the activation by default of the automatic deletion function for the main activity in the configuration options of Google accounts, the forthcoming integration of Google account controls in the search engine, as well as the forthcoming integration of Google accounts. the Password Verification function within the Security Verification options, among other measures.
Less data retention
When it comes to data retention, Google thinks that it should only keep data for as long as necessary and useful for users. With that philosophy, and with the idea of doing more with less, is carrying by default the automatic deletion function in the main activity settings in Google accounts.
This means that, by default, all user histories They will be deleted after 18 months for both new accounts and for those who activate the histories for the first time.
Google will respect those who have established the deletion after three months in this function, and even leaves the doors open to those who want it, can indefinitely keep their activity histories in their accounts.
Those, Gmail, Drive and Photos will not be affected by the default retention periods since, in Google’s opinion: they are designed to safely store your personal content whenever you need to access them.
In the case of YouTube, the automatic deletion will be set at 36 months By default for new accounts or the History is activated for the first time, which allows the platform to continue offering personalized recommendations. However, users can also alter the retention period or disable this feature.
Control access improvements
Google also points out that it is updating many of their privacy tools, first of all indicating that, in a short time, when logging into a Google account, users will find a card with their security settings, so they can carry some settings.
There is also simplifying access to Incognito Mode in some applications. According to Google: simply press your profile photo in Search, Maps and YouTube, and it is already available in the Google app for iOS to arrive soon on Android. It is also working so that in the future it will be possible to switch from one application to another in ingnito mode.
And the Privacy Check Tool is beginning to offer prevention recommendations.
And more changes
In the Security Verification tool they will now show a snapshot of the security status of the account on Google with a click away, where they will also offer personalized recommendations, and in the coming weeks, the Password Verification function will become a central part. of the Security Verification tool. For its part, Google will suppress the Password Verification extension from Chrome over the next few months.
Finally, Google points out that it will continue to invest efforts in the development of privacy technologies, in addition to working on federal privacy legislation in the US and privacy models around the world.
