On both the computer and the mobile, we are using at least one Google service. One of the advantages offered by the search giant is the simple and efficient integration between its services. In addition, it costs nothing to integrate these with third-party services. This means that we are exposing more and more personal data of all kinds. From our location history to something that appears to be “unusable” like the history of YouTube video views.
Remember, all data we generate is useful for the company and thus analyze our preferences to enrich our experience. Either with personalized ads or video recommendations (returning to the YouTube example), etc. Remember, your personal data is yours. You have both the right and the obligation to ensure your privacy and choose what type of data you would share. Here’s a detailed guide on how to manage the privacy of your Google data.
Can I really choose what data to share? That’s right, there is a fairly complete section to manage the Google data we generate. It is very likely that it is the first time you know about it, perhaps because these recommendations do not receive as much dissemination as other new services.
Privacy Review
It is a 7-step checklist where you can control the data that Google uses to personalize your user experience. Especially, in relation to frequently used applications such as Maps, Photos, YouTube and the ads that you see in general.
Activity control on the web and applications
It involves all the general activity that has to do with popular Google services, both on the web and the different applications. We tell you what you can do. This includes all associated services including Google Play and of course there is the Chrome browser. Also consider voice and audio recordings.
All the data that I manage to collect in this section serves so that you can have faster searches, results more oriented to what you need. In addition, it is certain that you are used to receiving application recommendations based on your preferences and / or what you already have installed. Also, recommend all kinds of content potentially useful to you.
If you do not want to share any data of this type, you can deactivate it and delete all previously registered activity.
Information shared with YouTube
You can not only play videos on this streaming platform. You can also save the videos you want to watch later or put together a playlist. When you click on the “Like” button for each video, it is automatically saved in a history of videos you liked. So also everything you see, is saved in a playback history.
All this is based on recommending more content according to your preferences. Even urges that you can watch previously played videos once again.
Among other things, you can enable or disable the privacy of the videos you like, your playlists and subscriptions. In addition, you can manage the visibility of your activity in general on YouTube for other people.
Google Photos settings
One of the advantages of this service is that it allows you to free up storage space, saving all our photographs and videos in the cloud. The space that one has in Google Photos is unlimited for high quality files. However, if the files have a different format or a resolution higher than Full HD, it is customary to give a certain amount of GB of storage followed by unlimited space for lower quality photos. On the other hand, you can choose which albums in your gallery you want to create backup in Photos.
You can enable or disable the grouping of photos according to the faces of people, even animals. You can also manage the record of the location where the picture was taken. Remember that, by default, the location of the photo is saved as a method to facilitate the search of the photographs in any of the Google Photos albums.
Connect your mobile number with Google
This refers to the integration of your number with Hangouts . Thus, this application will be the primary to receive and send text messages. On the other hand, it will enable video calls to be made through its interface.
Also, any other Google user that locates you through that number, will be able to visualize all the activity that you have configured as public. This includes your activity on Maps, YouTube and the data you have completed in your account profile.
Our Google Account profile and ad management
The account we have and that is usually associated with several applications, has a central profile. In this we can edit our main personal data, profile picture and background, if we want to decorate it a little. Therefore, you can limit the visibility of your data, as well as your activity of all the services you use.
On the other hand, several of the ads we see are displayed by Google based on our personal data and preferences. You have the option of activating or deactivating the personalization of these ads if you consider that they will not be useful. Here you can see the great level of detail of the records that the search giant has in relation to our activity. It is not necessary to indicate what we like to see or consume, our activity alone gives all the information necessary for us to obtain a personalized experience.
In a few minutes, you will be done with this review. It is important that you know how to do it and, if possible, tell other people that they certainly use Google services. Access this link to start the Privacy Review . Keep in mind that every change you make will be reflected in the activity you do both from your mobile phone and your computer. Time passes and we are increasingly aware of the privacy of our data. Therefore, it is important to be aware of what each service offers to guarantee such privacy and control over our data that is generally shared with Google and third parties, by default.
