Google Maps is one of the most used apps of our day to day, because it allows us to locate almost anywhere in the world. However, this facility could come at a great cost to your privacy .
Without your knowledge, Google Maps can store your location data temporarily, for the best operation of the tool. We tell you how to avoid it if you don’t want this to happen.
To get started, you need to know something called “location reports” and “location history.” Reports allow Google to periodically store and use the latest device location data associated with your Google account.
For its part, the location history allows Google to store a history of your location data from all the devices on which you have signed in with your Google account and on which you have activated location reports.
To delete the location reports you can deactivate this function directly. On iOS you must enter the Google Maps application, while on Android it is only possible to deactivate the location history.
Click on your profile picture and go to Settings. In this section go to the option “Information, conditions and privacy”. In this menu you will find an option that says “Collect location data” and you can deactivate it to protect your privacy.
The privacy lawsuit against Google
Just last year Google was forced to pay a $ 13 million settlement. It was a lawsuit against the search engine for collecting personal data from people through Street View, one of the functions of Google Maps.
Although initially it seemed that Google Maps only photographed the facades and houses of its routes, the cars that made these images also captured passwords, e-mails and other sensitive data through Wi-Fi networks.
Google initially claimed that it was an accidental error, but an investigation revealed that this function had been consciously included in the functions of the vehicle system that formed the maps.