Google has announced the rollout of new privacy controls for its Search services and Google Play, allowing users to have more control over their saved history and personalized recommendations. The changes aim to provide users with greater transparency and flexibility in managing their online activities.
Separation of History and Personalization Settings
One of the key features of the updated settings is the separation of history and personalization controls. Previously, these functions were managed through Web & App Activity, but Google is now introducing new settings called Search Services History and Personalized Recommendations. This change allows users to tailor their Search services experience more effectively.
Search Services History will control whether Google saves activity from Search services to the user’s Google Account, including searches, Maps activity, Shopping searches, Flights and Hotels activity, Translate usage, News activity, and more. On the other hand, Personalized Recommendations will determine whether Google uses saved data to tailor what users see.
Media-Saving Option and its Implications
Google is also introducing a media-saving option for Search services, which allows the company to save images, files, audio, and video from user interactions with Search services. This can include visual searches with Google Lens or audio from voice-based interactions. The saved media will be stored in the Search Services History and used to support interactive product experiences.
However, it’s essential for users to note that saved media can be used to develop and improve Google services and technologies, including AI models and safety systems. Users can turn off the Save Media subsetting at any time and delete individual pieces of media from their history.
Impact on Web & App Activity and Google Play
The updated settings will also affect users who have turned on Web & App Activity for their account. After the transition, Search Services History will be turned on, and the Save Media subsetting will also be activated. Users can still change their auto-delete period, manually review their history, or delete individual pieces of media from their history.
Google Play is also receiving separate Play History and Personalization in Play settings, which users can turn on or off at any time. The new Search services and Google Play settings will reflect the user’s most recent choices for Web & App Activity and Search Personalization settings.
Conclusion
The introduction of these new privacy controls aims to provide users with more control over their online activities and data. By separating history and personalization settings, Google is giving users greater flexibility in managing their saved history and personalized recommendations. While the media-saving option may raise concerns about user data being used for AI model development, users can still turn off this feature at any time.
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