37 ms·

My google activity history, youtube search/watch history, and location history are all completely empty because I've disabled all of it. I would recommend going

My google activity history, youtube search/watch history, and location history are all completely empty because I've disabled all of it. I would recommend going through the privacy checkup[0] to control what does and doesn't get saved. [0] https://myaccount.google.com/privacycheckup https://myaccount.google.com/privacycheckup

skummetmaelk 9y ago
Has there ever been any statement from anyone even remotely involved with data collection at Google on what "pausing" these collection options actually does internally? I somehow find it hard to believe that they don't just collect it anyway and only "pause" displaying inferences made using the data to you.
- ocdtrekkie 9y ago
  In a lot of cases, from my understanding, disabling storing data about "your account" just stores data about you with an anonymous identifier. For example, voice search history you can enable or disable, if you enable it, you can see and listen to all your queries and delete them if you so choose. If you disable the history, Google still stores recordings of your voice and uses it to "improve their service", they just associate it with an anonymous identifier. The downside here, of course, is that you can't delete the copies of your voice Google is now saving despite your desire for them not to keep your history. (I am having a hard time finding exactly where Google currently states this, but I have a high level of confidence this is how it works, as officially stated by Google, for voice activity.)
  - gowld 9y ago
    A citation would be helpful, as I don't see voice mentioned on the help page for "Share usage & diagnostics information with Google" https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6078260?hl=en https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6078260?hl=en
    - ocdtrekkie 9y ago
      Here's The Guardian stating it at the bottom of this article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/13/google-voice-activity-listen-delete-recordings https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/13/google-vo... USA Today takes it a step further, and claims that "deleting" your voice activity merely converts it to the anonymous identifier, that Google keeps it either way: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/03/02/how-voice-activated-devices-listen-you-and-how-turn-them-off/81187578/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/03/02/how-voic... The better Google help article is this one, but it merely states changing the setting determines whether or not the audio activity is "saved to your account": https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/6030020 https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/6030020 I recall Google's articles being clearer on this point before, either I'm not looking in the right place or they may have obfuscated it.
- Splines 9y ago
  I don't have any evidence whatsoever but I speculate that between the options of: 1. collecting data and hiding it during times it was paused 2. checking if data collection is paused during collection time and keeping it/throwing it away Option (2) is the easiest and most foolproof. For (1), all it takes is a single tiny bug in any code that handles your data history and their whole privacy stance is shot.
  - gowld 9y ago
    How can these statemens both be true? "(2) is the easiest and most foolproof" That doesn't seem any easier; as hiding is harder than checking a bit and discarding at collection time. "For (1), all it takes is a single tiny bug in any code that handles your data history and their whole privacy stance is shot." That doesn't sound foolproof at all.
    - Splines 9y ago
      Right? Maybe I'm not explaining very well. I feel like we're agreeing. Checking a bit and discarding at collection time is the easiest. You need to ensure data collection is aware of this setting, and anything that manipulates this data doesn't need to care whether or not some data is "hidden" or not. > That doesn't sound foolproof at all. Right - If you go the route of collecting all data and hiding it later then all tools that interoperate with customer data need to make sure they don't accidentally expose "paused" data back to the customer. Given two choices of throwing away data at collection time, or forever in the future trying to hide data from the customer, it seems simpler to throw away data at collection time.
DarkCrusader2 9y ago
I also did it some time ago, but I have a feeling, with nothing to backup my claim, that they still log, store and analyse all my activity but just don't show it in the dashboard. I don't know how targeted ads are (because of ad block) but youtube doesn't suggest me anything based on watch history so I guess I might be wrong here.
- supermdguy 9y ago
  That's probably true, but I at least feel a little more comfortable.
- samschooler 9y ago
  One thing I like to do is just leave them all on, but minimize my contact with Google's services. Then I check in every few months just to confirm they haven't collected anything on me.
  - DarkCrusader2 9y ago
    Off topic - I am actually working on a framework to automate the process of self-hosting these services on some VPS. I might open-source it once it is in usable shape. But some things just have no real alternative(like maps and android)
    - samschooler 9y ago
      Apple Maps is actually acceptable I think (at least on iOS). I'm trying to find an alternative for Google Photos.
- gowld 9y ago
  Have you considered filing a lawsuit? That would be a great way to punish someone for violating their privacy policy and EU obligations.
  - caconym_ 9y ago
    > nothing to backup my claim

skummetmaelk 9y ago

Has there ever been any statement from anyone even remotely involved with data collection at Google on what "pausing" these collection options actually does internally? I somehow find it hard to believe that they don't just collect it anyway and only "pause" displaying inferences made using the data to you.

ocdtrekkie 9y ago
In a lot of cases, from my understanding, disabling storing data about "your account" just stores data about you with an anonymous identifier. For example, voice search history you can enable or disable, if you enable it, you can see and listen to all your queries and delete them if you so choose. If you disable the history, Google still stores recordings of your voice and uses it to "improve their service", they just associate it with an anonymous identifier. The downside here, of course, is that you can't delete the copies of your voice Google is now saving despite your desire for them not to keep your history. (I am having a hard time finding exactly where Google currently states this, but I have a high level of confidence this is how it works, as officially stated by Google, for voice activity.)
- gowld 9y ago
  A citation would be helpful, as I don't see voice mentioned on the help page for "Share usage & diagnostics information with Google" https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6078260?hl=en https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6078260?hl=en
  - ocdtrekkie 9y ago
    Here's The Guardian stating it at the bottom of this article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/13/google-voice-activity-listen-delete-recordings https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/13/google-vo... USA Today takes it a step further, and claims that "deleting" your voice activity merely converts it to the anonymous identifier, that Google keeps it either way: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/03/02/how-voice-activated-devices-listen-you-and-how-turn-them-off/81187578/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/03/02/how-voic... The better Google help article is this one, but it merely states changing the setting determines whether or not the audio activity is "saved to your account": https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/6030020 https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/6030020 I recall Google's articles being clearer on this point before, either I'm not looking in the right place or they may have obfuscated it.
Splines 9y ago
I don't have any evidence whatsoever but I speculate that between the options of: 1. collecting data and hiding it during times it was paused 2. checking if data collection is paused during collection time and keeping it/throwing it away Option (2) is the easiest and most foolproof. For (1), all it takes is a single tiny bug in any code that handles your data history and their whole privacy stance is shot.
- gowld 9y ago
  How can these statemens both be true? "(2) is the easiest and most foolproof" That doesn't seem any easier; as hiding is harder than checking a bit and discarding at collection time. "For (1), all it takes is a single tiny bug in any code that handles your data history and their whole privacy stance is shot." That doesn't sound foolproof at all.
  - Splines 9y ago
    Right? Maybe I'm not explaining very well. I feel like we're agreeing. Checking a bit and discarding at collection time is the easiest. You need to ensure data collection is aware of this setting, and anything that manipulates this data doesn't need to care whether or not some data is "hidden" or not. > That doesn't sound foolproof at all. Right - If you go the route of collecting all data and hiding it later then all tools that interoperate with customer data need to make sure they don't accidentally expose "paused" data back to the customer. Given two choices of throwing away data at collection time, or forever in the future trying to hide data from the customer, it seems simpler to throw away data at collection time.

DarkCrusader2 9y ago

I also did it some time ago, but I have a feeling, with nothing to backup my claim, that they still log, store and analyse all my activity but just don't show it in the dashboard. I don't know how targeted ads are (because of ad block) but youtube doesn't suggest me anything based on watch history so I guess I might be wrong here.

supermdguy 9y ago
That's probably true, but I at least feel a little more comfortable.
samschooler 9y ago
One thing I like to do is just leave them all on, but minimize my contact with Google's services. Then I check in every few months just to confirm they haven't collected anything on me.
- DarkCrusader2 9y ago
  Off topic - I am actually working on a framework to automate the process of self-hosting these services on some VPS. I might open-source it once it is in usable shape. But some things just have no real alternative(like maps and android)
  - samschooler 9y ago
    Apple Maps is actually acceptable I think (at least on iOS). I'm trying to find an alternative for Google Photos.
gowld 9y ago
Have you considered filing a lawsuit? That would be a great way to punish someone for violating their privacy policy and EU obligations.
- caconym_ 9y ago
  > nothing to backup my claim