Google is making it so new users’ location and search data is deleted automatically after 18 months

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Data collection is a pretty hot topic currently, and now Google is taking a step that is sure to make new users happy. Announce in a blog post this week, Google will turn on its auto-delete controls by default for new Google accounts.

If you remember, back in 2019 Google rolled out new tools that let users decide how long their data was stored with Google. Before these controls, data was held by the company indefinitely. The feature allows users to set up timeframes for how long things like search and location data are stored with Google. These timeframes are set at three months and 18 months.

This feature wasn’t switched on automatically, instead, requiring users to turn on the option in the Activity Controls section of Google to set up the auto-deletion feature.

Now, with this announcement, new Google accounts will have the feature turned out by default for the 18-month timeframe. For those of us already with Google accounts, Google will also start giving accounts prompts to look at data settings.

Google will also be rolling out new functionality in Search that will prompt users with an alert box when they search for things like “Google Privacy Checkup” and “Is my Google Account secure?” This alert box will point users to sections of their accounts that relate to privacy, data-deletion, and more.

A final note from the Google announcement is that users will soon be able to access Incognito mode by long-pressing your profile picture from the main app. The feature is available starting today on iOS and will soon be available on the Android app, as well.

What do you think? Glad to see Google turning on this feature by default for new users? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Google Maps will now offer COVID-19-related alerts for travelers
• Google is now facing a $5 billion lawsuit in the US over tracking in Incognito mode
• Lawmakers are trying to make tech companies like Apple provide encrypted data to law enforcement
• Apple filed a virtual group selfie patent in 2018 that is perfect for social distancing

Josiah Motley

Former KnowTechie editor.