Stop Google from tracking you by deleting and disabling your location and activity history.
If you have an Android smartphone or use Google services on a daily basis, there is a good chance that the history of your movements and your geographical positions will be kept by the American giant.
In principle, the retention of this location data by Google is intended to be used to obtain more relevant search results. Unfortunately, in some cases, collecting geographic location can put users in an unenviable position. An American cyclist paid the price and was suspected of burglary because of his location data recorded in his Google account with his smartphone.
Fortunately, Google offers a solution to delete and deactivate the location history in the settings of his account. Be careful, however, in addition to deactivating the location history, you will also need to delete the account’s activity history, as Google continues to record your location during some of your searches.
1. Access the controls related to the activity
To prevent Google from saving your location, log into your Google account and go directly to the page dedicated to Activity controls.
2. Deactivate and delete the location history
Scroll through the options until you reach the section on Location History. Deactivate the function using the dedicated button and validate by clicking on Deactivate.
Then click on Manage activities to access your complete history.
Google should indicate the places that you frequent the most and offer you to consult the various journeys that you have been able to make during weeks, months, even years.
To delete this history, click on the tiny trash can icon, displayed in black at the bottom of the map.
Check the mention I understand and confirm the deletion of all the location history and confirm the deletion by clicking on Delete location history.
3. Disable and delete activity history on web and apps
Although location history is disabled, Google still has the option of locating you indirectly: when you search for directions in Google Maps, check the weather, etc. It is therefore also advisable to deactivate your Activity on the Web and the applications.
Go back to the Activity controls, locate the section devoted to Web and application activity, and uncheck the option to deactivate it. Then validate your choice by clicking on Deactivate.
To delete the various activities recorded by Google, click on Manage activities.
In the side column, go to the Delete activity menu then, in the pop-up that appears, select All period.
Choose the applications for which you want the activity to be deleted, click Next and then confirm the deletion of data by clicking Remove.
Keep in mind that deleting this data and turning off this history will not affect your experience using Google products. The collection of its data is, in fact, used by Google to speed up your searches or to offer you more relevant search results.
Finally, if you want to allow Google to keep certain data to continue enjoying optimal results, be aware that it is possible to restrict the data collected as well as their retention period.
You can then configure your Google account so that the personal data collected is automatically deleted after 3 months, 18 months or until you delete it manually.