Google Is Tracking You Even If You’ve Turned Off Location Tracking

 

Don’t want Google watching your every move? Turned off location history on Google?

Turns out Google might still be tracking you.

If you’ve turned off location history that only stops Google from adding your location to its Google Maps timeline. Google will collect your location data for all Google users on iOS and Android devices unless you turn off another setting that is a little trickier to find.

This issue could affect up to two billion iOS and Android devices which use Google products such as search, weather and maps.

For example, Google will take a snapshot of where you are when you open up the Google Maps app and pinpoint your exact location when you use Google search (even if the search has nothing to do with your location).

To prevent Google from storing your location data you need to turn off another setting called “Web & App Activity”. So, if you feel that Google knowing exactly where you are and storing that data is a little creepy, here’s how to really stop Google tracking you:

Android Users:

1) Go to Settings

2) Tap on Google > Google Account

3) Go to Data & Personalisation tab

4) Web & App Activity > Switch Web & App Activity off

And if you haven’t already, here’s how to switch off location history:

Do steps 1 to 3 above, and under Data & Personalisation, tap on Location History and switch the setting off for each phone or device connected to your Google account.

iOS and PC users:

1) Go to https://myaccount.google.com/intro/activitycontrols and sign into your Google account.

2) Switch of the Web & App Activity 

3) Also switch off the Location History directly below Web & App Activity.