Google announced Wednesday, starting today, it will automatically delete location and search history by default (on-web or in-app) after 18 months for new users.
Previously, if users didn’t want Google to store their data forever, they had to turn this setting on.
Google’s location history is off now, but when users turn it on, it will also be deleted by default after 18-months.
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Google’s apparent expansion willingness to automatically delete data includes voice commands collected through the Google Assistant or devices like Google Home.
The new policy allows Google to hold still hold to recommend things you might like based on your previous information, but it won’t have years and years worth of private data.
Why would you want Google to keep track of your location history? It can be useful if you want Google Maps to offer you recommendations, like restaurants you might like, based on where you’ve been in the past. Or Google might know from your location history that you usually leave to work at 7 a.m. and can recommend you leave a little earlier to avoid traffic on a particular day.
All users can see their data in My Activity page, where they can manually delete specific items.
