Privacy is heavily compromised if you are an active user of the social media space and we all saw it closely when the Facebook privacy breach was exposed. Facebook apparently sold the data of many of its users to understand the tendency of the voters before the election. The entire Analytica scandal, saw several people deleting their accounts and pages from the social platform. And now search giant Google has revealed that your location history is well tracked even if you have turned it off. Facebook Knows More Than What You Remember About Yourself! Check What Personal Details FB Has & Shares With Advertisers.
Google location history page has modified the clarification and it reads, "This setting does not affect other location services on your device. Some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps." So all this while if you'd have thought that you turning off your location will reduce your 'presence' online, then the big brother Google knows exactly where you are.
The issue came into highlight following the Associated Press and the Princeton researchers' report that stated: "even with Location History paused, some Google apps automatically store time-stamped location data without asking." Google Maps and Weather app can store your location, the moment you have launched it. According to the AP report, it can "pinpoint your precise latitude and longitude — accurate to the square foot — and save it to your Google account."
If you check the language on your Google settings when you turn off the location it says, "Google may collect location data periodically and use this data in an anonymous way to improve location accuracy and location-based services." The Web and App Activity also mentions that Google saves your activity for more personalized experiences in Maps, Search and other Google services. So it is difficult to actually reduce your digital footprint completely.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2018 10:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).