In a few steps, Google now let you automatically delete your web activity and localization history.

A new, better way.

Google is now taking your privacy more seriously than ever. Earlier this year, the technology giant introduced a way to access and delete some or all of the data collected on your location history, applications and web activities. The option is available, but not everyone knows how to access it. Fortunately, Google has recently implemented a new way of doing it, making it easier and faster for everyone to protect his personal data.

From your Google Account, the feature allows you to set an expiration date for your data. The options proposed are not as good as we would like, but they still allow to set an expiry date of 3 or 18 months. This means that even if you forget to delete your data manually, your web activity history and location data will remain anonymous. The feature is currently spreading to mobile devices, so it may not yet be on your phone, but it will eventually. In the meantime, you can access it via the Web. Here's how to do it:

Web and application activities

First, make sure you are logged in with your Google Account. Once done, click on this link to access your activity history: https://myactivity.google.com/item?restrict=waa&utm_source=retention-promo=waa&utm_source=retention-promo

• Click on the "Choose to delete automatically" button
• A window should appear asking you to check one of the three choices: "Keep until I delete the data manually", "Keep for 18 months" and "Keep for 3 months". Check what you want, and click on the "Next" button.
• If you have selected either 3 months or 18 months, another window will appear. Simply click on the "Confirm" button. That's it!

Location history

• Open "Maps" on your phone
• Click on the three lines on the top left of the app. to open the sidebar menu
• Click on "Your TimeLine".
• Scroll down through the options until you see "Automatically delete position history". Click on it.
• Choose between "18 months", "3 months" and "manually", then click on the "Next" button
• A dialog will appear. Check the box "I understand that my data will be deleted", then click on the "Confirm" button. That's it!

If you would like to learn more about how you can protect your data, we invite you to check out our Private Courses section.

Otherwise, if you simply want to protect your personal data from the Tech Giants, contact us here and in the services list, select “other”.