In order to forestall privacy issues and prevent more scrutiny on user data, Google has updated privacy tools on its video streaming platform, YouTube and Google Maps.
While YouTube users will now be able to set their search and viewing histories to auto-delete after a period of time, users of Google Maps will have an incognito mode, which means a user’s movements won’t be recorded when it’s turned on.
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The incognito mode for Google Maps, inspired by the Chrome browser’s incognito feature will enable users to search and navigate places without having any information linked to their accounts thereafter. This means users will be able to choose what stays on the app and what doesn’t as there would be a toggle to turn on or off.
Although Google is yet to release the exact date when the new features will be available for iOS users, it would be available on Android this month.
Google has also disclosed that users would be able to delete their voice histories from artificial intelligence system Assistant using a voice command. There would now be a way for users to check their passwords via a password manager to make sure they are still secure.
What you should know: Google and Facebook, as well as other tech companies, have been scrutinized in recent times over the amount of data they collect from their users. While Facebook was fined $5 billion for privacy violations, YouTube was also fined $170 million for violating the kid’s Federal Privacy Laws, as reported by Nairametrics.
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Why this matters: There have been arguments as to why applications will need to access and store users data for a long time even without their consent. However, with these new features, things are changing as Google is making it easier for users to control their privacy settings, thereby safeguarding the users on the platform.
