Google Privacy Issues: Web History
Feb. 28th, 2012 11:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meridian_roseOriginally posted by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sheryden at Google Privacy Issues: Web History
sheryden at Google Privacy Issues: Web HistoryOriginally posted by anjak_j at Google Privacy Issues: Web History
anjak_j at Google Privacy Issues: Web HistoryIf you are going to do this, you need to do it before March 1st. It has been said that users will not be able to do anything about this after that date.
With reference to Google's policy changes and how everything you do with your Google account will be tied together into their super-cauldron of information, you will probably want to clear your Google Web History out - if you turned that feature on - before month's end. After that, you won't be able to clear it, and everything you search for will be connected with your account.
To check settings and/or clear out your Web History:
1. Go to Google. If you aren't signed in already, do so.
2. In the top right-hand corner you'll find your email address or name, perhaps an icon if you have a Plus account, and a little downward facing arrow. Click on the arrow and a menu will pop up.
3. Click to 'Account Settings'. This will take you to a page called 'Accounts'. (If you have a Plus account, you might go via a Plus sign-in page.)
4. Scroll down to a section called 'Services'. Here you'll find an option called 'View, enable, or disable web history', which has a link next to it. Click on the link.
5. If you never turned web history on, you'll get a page asking if you want to turn this service on. Just click 'No Thanks' and all is good. If you did turn it on, you should have a list of your searches. At the top there is a button that says 'Remove All History'. Click this and follow the instructions which will remove all items from your Web History and pause the feature so nothing else will be added in future.
Also, you can completely remove Web History as a service from your account by clicking THIS LINK, checking the tick-box and confirming you want to remove Web History. To be safe, it is probably best to do the steps above first to remove any history that might have already been collected.
With reference to Google's policy changes and how everything you do with your Google account will be tied together into their super-cauldron of information, you will probably want to clear your Google Web History out - if you turned that feature on - before month's end. After that, you won't be able to clear it, and everything you search for will be connected with your account.
To check settings and/or clear out your Web History:
1. Go to Google. If you aren't signed in already, do so.
2. In the top right-hand corner you'll find your email address or name, perhaps an icon if you have a Plus account, and a little downward facing arrow. Click on the arrow and a menu will pop up.
3. Click to 'Account Settings'. This will take you to a page called 'Accounts'. (If you have a Plus account, you might go via a Plus sign-in page.)
4. Scroll down to a section called 'Services'. Here you'll find an option called 'View, enable, or disable web history', which has a link next to it. Click on the link.
5. If you never turned web history on, you'll get a page asking if you want to turn this service on. Just click 'No Thanks' and all is good. If you did turn it on, you should have a list of your searches. At the top there is a button that says 'Remove All History'. Click this and follow the instructions which will remove all items from your Web History and pause the feature so nothing else will be added in future.
Also, you can completely remove Web History as a service from your account by clicking THIS LINK, checking the tick-box and confirming you want to remove Web History. To be safe, it is probably best to do the steps above first to remove any history that might have already been collected.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-28 09:21 pm (UTC)I never know what these changes in policy mean, except that Google shouldn't be violating people's privacy.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-29 10:12 am (UTC)You might want to check out this link which was rec'd over at DW:
http://arduinna.dreamwidth.org/38503.html
Loads of info and ideas for protecting your info and for alternate services for those times you don't want google in your personal business, especially with regards to mobile devices which track where you are and what you are doing!
no subject
Date: 2012-02-29 08:45 pm (UTC)I never use a mobile device to check email or anything, so I'm less worried about that, but still - this is really scary :(
no subject
Date: 2012-02-29 08:54 pm (UTC)I figure I'll still use Google a lot - Youtube, Googledocs, translate, etc; but it's great to have a list of other search engines that don't have the Google Bias with how search results are sorted and displayed :D
no subject
Date: 2012-03-01 11:31 pm (UTC)