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Digital Death Finally: Google Will Now Allow Users To Auto-Delete Location Tracking Data From Its Servers
Google webpage. (Unsplash/Christian Wiediger)
Search engine giant Google on Thursday (1 May) announced a new feature that will let users auto-delete their Location History, Web and App Activity data.
This is the latest attempt by the company to address privacy concerns on its platforms. Google will now allow users to set a time limit for how long it can save tracking data.
Users will be given two options for this time limit - 3 or 18 months. Any data that is older than these limits will be automatically deleted. It should be noted that users will still continue to receive recommendations, but the extent of one’s personal data that’s stored on Google’s servers and can be used by the company will be limited.
“Choose a time limit for how long you want your activity data to be saved—3 or 18 months—and any data older than that will be automatically deleted from your account on an ongoing basis. These controls are coming first to Location History and Web & App Activity and will roll out in the coming weeks,” said the company in a blog statement.
It is expected that with this new tool, users can now gain back control over their digital footprint across the internet, at least partially.
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