Google has created a new Account Activity feature which sends users monthly reports about their online history recorded by Google while using their services like Google Play, Google+ and Gmail. Among other things, it shows emails you’ve sent and received, number and type of searches done while signed into your Google account, places you’ve logged in from, types of devices used and operating systems of the devices while using their services.
Google Account Activity feature hopes to appease those upset with privacy policy update
A Google product manager, Andreas Turk believes it gives a better understanding of the information gathered by Google, allowing you to control your information. By allowing users to know the places and times of which they have signed in, users can identify if there is unauthorized use of their accounts.
This feature has been designed since the company changed it privacy policies on March 1, which allow the sharing of data between Google services; to ensure the users are comfortable with the information being collected. Google maintains that the information collected is aimed at providing the public with relevant advertising, and not selling users’ data to third parties. Individuals always have the option of signing out of their accounts before conducting searches to avoid the information from being recorded.
Google’s new privacy policies became a subject of much concern. The issue highlighted the potential risk of increased identity theft since user information is now shared across so many Google services, making it easier for hackers to gain users’ personal information.
