Google defaults to auto-deleting YouTube, Location History for new users

Search engine giant Google has added a bunch of new privacy tools to keep user’s data private. Google will now auto-delete location and search history by default for new users.  The auto-delete feature will enable it to automatically and continuously delete your Location History. Also search, voice, and YouTube activity data after 3 months or 18 months.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced the changes in a blog post. He wrote, “As we design our products, we focus on three important principles: keeping your information safe, treating it responsibly, and putting you in control. Today, we are announcing privacy improvements to help do that.”

Last year, the company made it possible to have data automatically deleted every 3 months or 18 months. The feature will be enabled by default for new users. New Google users will have their search history, location history, voice commands automatically deleted every 18 months by default. YouTube search history will be set to delete after 3 years. Existing Google accounts won’t have this enabled by default.

The company is making it easier to check in on your Account controls. Users will simply do a search for “Google Privacy Checkup” and “Is my Google Account secure?. A box only visible to you will show your privacy and security settings so you can easily review or adjust them.

To browse more privately, Incognito Mode will be accessible by simply long-pressing your profile picture in Google Search, Maps, and YouTube. This new shortcut is now available on the Google App for iOS and is coming soon to Android and other apps.

Also Read: Happy Birthday Sundar Pichai: 10 Unknown Facts About The Google CEO