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Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

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Re: Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

#12
post #2

Show of hands: Who is actually going to do this? Who isn't?

I did it a few years ago, for the concern that someone can log into my account and see or steal that data. The second reason was, that there actually wasn't a practical utility for me to have access to that data.

Re: Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

#14
post #10
post #2

Show of hands: Who is actually going to do this? Who isn't?

I've just done so, and I intend on keeping Web History turned off. I simply do not derive enough benefit from having this data around for myself (when's the last time you benefited from Web History), and unlike other permanent data such as G+ posts, comments etc I do not self-censor searches that I would like to conduct, so I find it very plausible that someone with more processing power than me could find out more a…

I was just about to and then realised that I had turned it off a while ago. The fact that I had completely forgotten it shows that I don't need this data.

However, it's also not something I'm hugely concerned about; as others have said the main danger is from some unscrupulous individual gaining access to your account. In terms of Google having access to my data, I would imagine my data will never be seen by human eyes. Having said that, one does need to remember the inherent permanence of data on the internet, as Facebook's timeline has shown sometimes your data can surface in unexpected ways.

Re: Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

#15
post #4

The official title of the article is "How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google's New Privacy Policy Takes Effect", and the writing itself is much more neutral than this submission title. I'm still not sure why people are afraid of Google's new privacy policy. I understand that there are people who have specific privacy needs, but outside that scope I doubt you have anything to worry about. It's doubtful…

"How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google's New Privacy Policy Takes Effect"

the title is 88 char so something had to go.

Re: Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

#16
post #6

I'm confused. What does this actually mean? "You can delete information from Web History using the remove feature, and it will be removed from the service. However, as is common practice in the industry, and as outlined in the Google Privacy Policy, Google maintains a separate logs system for auditing purposes and to help us improve the quality of our services for users." So.... why would I delete this information if…

I think it's just trying to tell you this isn't a silver bullet for get-me-out-of-google, there are other systems that keep records of when you login/do things or other systems that log searches but don't identify them to you. You just opt out of this specific system.

Re: Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

#17
post #4

The official title of the article is "How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google's New Privacy Policy Takes Effect", and the writing itself is much more neutral than this submission title. I'm still not sure why people are afraid of Google's new privacy policy. I understand that there are people who have specific privacy needs, but outside that scope I doubt you have anything to worry about. It's doubtful…

My feelings and the reason that (personally) I don't want this is I spend all day doing online marketing for brands and retailers and I have very different interests outside of work.

The system (at present) does not seem intelligent enough to decipher between which of my friends should suggest what film I should go to vs. which should be giving me financial advice vs. which are just backing a product because they're a client.

Strictly regarding the web/search history thing, if I work on a campaign for Burger King and browse their site and related products a lot of the day, I don't really want "Burger King" to come up first on a search with local intent for "restaurants in New York", in that instance I'd prefer see the generic results.

For me it's not that I don't want Google to have the data or I have anything to hide, it's that I think the "search" experience it creates because of my very different needs in and out of work is poor (and likely to get worse with sharing this data across platform) and I don't want to spend my days having to keep a super close eye on which account I'm currently logged into before doing a search.

It's all personal preference and for some this will provide a great experience, and it may get better. For now though, I like the ability to say "no thank you, I like generic search".

Re: Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

#19
post #2

Show of hands: Who is actually going to do this? Who isn't?

Call me naive, but I like the idea of having tailored Search results and integrated information and recommendations based on my data at Google products.

Google is one of few companies that I trust. So while most people are freaking out about losing some sense of privacy I personally think that it can open some very exciting opportunities and new features. I want to see where this is going and how Google will be able to use my information that he has to provide something valuable to me. I'm happily keeping all my google data and search history. And I'm also ok with Google selling my anonymized profile with third parties.

After my password was stollen on PSN PWNAGE and my own Mom broke into my MSN account to delete my contacts on a Rage spree I don't trust many people anymore. So don't think I don't think my info and privacy are not worth my caution.

But after reading Google ToS carefully I agree with everything they want to do and I'm ok with it. Most people certainly never read Google's new ToS. a lot of information on the news in the last months and even here in Hacker News are FUD and misconceptions. Google will not own you, they just want to use your data to provide more value to you and it's advertisers. You are not exposed.

So top freaking out a little bit. Read the ToS and think about it.

Re: Remove Google Search History Before New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

#20
post #4

The official title of the article is "How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google's New Privacy Policy Takes Effect", and the writing itself is much more neutral than this submission title. I'm still not sure why people are afraid of Google's new privacy policy. I understand that there are people who have specific privacy needs, but outside that scope I doubt you have anything to worry about. It's doubtful…

My feelings and the reason that (personally) I don't want this is I spend all day doing online marketing for brands and retailers and I have very different interests outside of work. The system (at present) does not seem intelligent enough to decipher between which of my friends should suggest what film I should go to vs. which should be giving me financial advice vs. which are just backing a product because they're…

Have you discovered Google Chrome's helpful "Users" feature? I use it for keeping Facebook and other abusive sites away from my main web activity, but it sounds like you've got a good use case for "Work" and "Real life" users.
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