Google’s services don’t cost you any money. Mail, navigation, working online, cloud storage… it’s all free. That is of course very attractive, although there is a big but: you ‘pay’ with your personal information. Google really knows everything about you. Still, you can limit this considerably via the privacy settings in Google.
Tip 01: Privacy tools
Google has rolled out a new set of privacy settings. With this you can have various things automatically ‘forgotten’ or not even saved. It is far from perfect, but it is a big step in the right direction. So it’s high time to take a look at how your Google account is doing. To do so, pay a visit www.tiny.cc/gopri. That is the new and easiest way to implement your privacy wishes. Once you have opened the page, it is important to click on Log in to get started sign in. Oh, you were already logged in? Then that rule is number one that you should (start to) adhere to immediately: always log out after you’ve done your thing! If you don’t, Google keeps a nice profile of everything you do online (and partly also offline in the Chrome browser), which also includes your search history.
Tip 02: At a glance
After you have logged in, you will see a series of links to the most important settings regarding your privacy. First click on Manage web and app activity. By default, Google keeps track of everything and partner sites may also use your Google data. The use and storage of audio recordings can also be found in this section. For your privacy, it is best if it says that your activities are not saved. You see the text Activity is saved click on that box and flip the slider so that your Google stops tracking your web and app activities.
Tip 03: Location history
Go back to the homepage of the Privacy Check page. You will see the link under the management of the Web and app activities Manage location history. If you open this page, you will see a map with all the places you have been recently. Every Android phone reports where you are every now and then. Google collects all this data, among other things to give you customized tips and advice. At the same time, the preservation of location lists for years is a link. You never know what kind of situation you might end up in where such data could turn against you. Therefore, click at the bottom Manage location history and turn off the switch.
The same is also true for your YouTube history. Google really doesn’t need to know what you’re looking at. In fact, you can also use YouTube without being logged in! But if you still want to log in, for example to subscribe to a channel or to comment on something, then at least disable both options under the YouTube history heading. To do this, go to the Privacy Check home page again and open the section below the location history: Manage YouTube History / Activity is saved.
Tip 04: Shared photos
One of the following checks on the Privacy Check page is the setting under Manage your Google Photos Settings state. You will find the interesting option here Remove geographic location from items shared through a link On. By turning the switch on here, you can be sure that shared photos no longer contain the exact location of a recording. This is not only good for your privacy, but also prevents the thieves from seeing interesting items in the photo taken in the living room, and then planning a nighttime visit with unpleasant consequences. Actually, this switch should be on by default, but it’s up to you to check.
Tip 05: What do you share?
click on Next one to get into the activity Help people connect with you. Make sure all options listed below are disabled. This is because you are communicating very sensitive matters such as your telephone number (or recognition based on your telephone number).
In fact, we have now ended up in a kind of wizard where you press a few times Next one can click; there are always links to be found in which you can turn off annoying things. Check them carefully. You never know what you will reveal!
Tip 06: Advertisements
Finally, you will go to the ad settings. For example, do you no longer want to be bothered by the well-known phenomenon that after a search for a hedge trimmer, you see hedge trimmer advertisements for weeks? Then click on Make ads more relevant to you / Manage your ad settings. Then put the switch behind on the newly opened tab Personalize ads is ON especially out. Disabling this option does not mean that you will no longer see ads, but at least they are no longer search-related ads.
It also applies that Google, provided you are logged in during the search or use an Android smartphone that is always linked to a Google account, will still read along with your searches and interests. Converting that slider only ensures that you no longer suffer from it immediately. If you do find the personalized ads useful, you can also leave the switch on. For your privacy it does not matter that much, you will read it anyway.
Tip 07: Delete history
Return to the Privacy Check page. At many of the links mentioned above you can see what history has been kept and delete it (partly automatically) as desired. In any case, delete that history if you have just turned off the history tracking of some item, otherwise the old logged data will be preserved for all eternity. Click below Personalize your Google functionality for example under YouTube history on Manage YouTube history. Click on the box there Automatic deletion. Now choose the shortest available retention time, at the time of writing this is 3 months. click on Next / Delete now. Finally, click Confirm. By the way, this option is only available if data has never been saved before. In principle, nothing (anymore) is added to the history if you have just turned it off. The ‘3-month’ option is primarily intended for anyone who wants to keep some history as a compromise between ease of use and privacy.
Tip 08: Delete data
If you are still in the window to delete your YouTube history (or any of the other activities), click on the left side Other Google Activity. A long list with many options will now appear. Go through everything, especially the option Chrome History. If you have never done anything about the settings for this, this will be an almost endless list. Clearing the history here will therefore be a full day’s job. Better use the key combination Ctrl + H and click Clear browsing data. Click at Period on Everything. You can optionally go under the tab Advanced still check whether everything is actually checked, or what is turned off that you (still) prefer not to be removed. Now delete the entire history Delete data to click. Then log out to never log in to the Chrome browser again.
Unfortunately, that’s not an option for anyone with an Android phone; the history built up there is and will be preserved.
We’ll say it again: really go through the whole list! There are – somewhat concealed – sometimes pretty bad things to be found, so a critical look is not an unnecessary luxury!
Tip 9: Security issues
Once you have completed the full wizard on the Privacy Check page, you will be taken to the account settings. Click on it in the menu on the left Security, you will find some interesting things there. Chances are that you will see the notification in the panel on the right Security vulnerabilities found, or even Found critical security vulnerabilities finds. Click here Secure account, or in the case of critical issues on Take action. What you see in that list are often things that Google wants to ask some extra attention for. For example, whether your alternative e-mail address and telephone number are still correct. Both are necessary in case your account is hacked and Google needs an alternative way of communicating. You will also occasionally be asked if a forwarding address (if you use it) is still correct. You can also enable two-step verification here. It means some extra work when logging in, but at the same time it provides a greater sense of security.
You can also see below Your devices an overview of (recently) logged in and active devices. If there are specimens that are not familiar to you, then it is time for you Google password change. An unwanted reader may have joined!
Tip 10: Really private?
After going through all these security and privacy settings, are you really protected from a collecting and reading Google? We very much doubt that. Ultimately, nowhere in those settings is it explicitly stated that Google will no longer do anything with your performed activities and stored data. What you have achieved with these actions is that data is no longer stored indefinitely. If you really want online privacy, you will have to stop using Google. Although that is probably still a bridge too far for many. In any case, make sure that you log in as little as possible with the various Google services. For example, you can also use the search engine without being logged in. And for privacy-sensitive documents, don’t use one of Google Docs components, just a locally installed word processor. Using Google Drive to store sensitive private things is also not a good idea in that respect.
Topical?
An article like this is very fleeting. Google is constantly working on the privacy settings. In recent months it has not become clearer and more user-friendly. You have to click further and further in order to actually be able to adjust options. If something does not work (anymore) as described in this article, click a little further or search for similar options.
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