Google makes it easier for you to delete web and app activity
Google is coming with more privacy options and security for web and app activity. This is the central point on your phone where all your search activity, activity in apps and your location are stored. You can delete all activity from the last 15 minutes or lock your activity.
Web & App Activity
Google collects a lot of data based on our search behaviour, the apps we use on our smartphone or the movements we make with our phone at hand. All this information is brought together in the web and app activity overview of our Google account. You can find the option from: Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Data & Personalization > Web & App Activity.
In a blog post, Google informs you that it is now easier to remove data from your overview. Previously it became possible to automatically delete your data after 3, 18 or 36 months. That is useful, but not when you want to quickly remove all your recent data, for example if you want to lend your phone. That is why there is now an option to delete all your data from the past 15 minutes. The feature is already available on iOS devices and will also be coming to Android phones later this year.
Extra security
In addition, there is now an optional extra layer of security for when you want to consult web and app activity. You can now choose to add an extra step and verify that it is indeed you who wants to view the data. Your phone will then ask you to confirm this with the screen lock, for example with the fingerprint scanner, when you want to view web and app activity. We explain below how you can add this extra security.
Roadmap
- From ‘Web & App Activity’ (find out how to find that menu above) choose Manage activity
- Under ‘Delete automatically’, tap Manage My Activity Verification
- Select Require additional verification and busy Save
- Then choose Get on and verify with your screen unlockont
- At the bottom you now see an image with a lock with the request to Verify whenever you want to view data gegevens
What do you think about the new protection for web and app activity and the quick option to delete data? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this article.
