How Is Google Enhancing User’s Privacy?

 Let’s be honest. Google hasn’t always had the best track record when it comes to protecting their user’s privacy. Needless to say, the tech giant has come a very long way from when it started, twenty years ago. In the time we live, running away from Google is impossible.

With Google keeping tabs on everything from the latest searches you’ve made on all of your connected devices, to pinpointing your location with staggering accuracy-it’s quite understandable why people are hesitant to put their trust in the tech giant.

With that being said, however, we need to give credit where it’s due. In the course of recent years, Google is actively making an effort to improve upon the situation. In response to the criticism received by Google, the Silicon Valley giant has taken measures which aim to put the control back into the user’s hands.

To keep our readers in the loop regarding the latest security additions to Google, we’ve compiled an article which features all the little ways Google has worked to boost their user’s privacy. For the latest scoop on all the security enhancements made by Google, read on!

1- Simple On/Off Controls:

To enhance the overall user experience, Google has come up with simple on/off controls, which render more power in the hands of the users.

Simple on/off controls allow users to determine what data should be stored to provide them with a more personalized experience. From the details of your daily commute to the latest search you made- with these on/off controls, the user gets to decide what gets stored and what doesn’t.

To activate, all you need to do is visit Activity Controls through your Google settings and configure the settings to suit your needs. Additionally, you can also pause and resume the collection of certain sensitive information as per your needs.

These on/off controls are like a much-needed breath of fresh air since the technology giant has recently gotten a lot of slack for a phenomenon known as the “Filter Bubble.” Simply put, the filter bubble refers to Google influencing what you click on through the data collected on you by the previous searches you made.

To combat the filtering of your searches, make sure that you’ve turned data collection off for your browsing activity, though the Activity Controls on Google Settings.

2- Review Your Activity:

Over recent years, Google has taken a lot of criticism over the discreetness with which they accumulate information. A prime example of this was when the myth surrounding Google’s incognito browsing was busted.

The previously held notion was that Google’s incognito browsing mode was an alternative to secure browsing, with no cookies being collected by the sites you visit. This constructed illusion came crashing down when a study conducted by Vanderbilt University revealed that Google can still identify you with staggering accuracy, even while browsing “incognito.”

The myth surrounding the incognito mode, combined with Google’s sketchy advertising tactics, has led many people to grow increasingly wary of the tech giant. However, in an effort to prevent users from cyber-security threats, such as malicious spam attachments and phishing attacks, Google has introduced a security measure which enables users to review any suspicious activity linked to their accounts.

3- Manage Your Google Account:

With the introduction of a single Google account for all Google-owned platforms, such as YouTube, Maps, among many others- managing and coordinating your activity has never been easier.

With Google’s “Manage your Google Account,” users now have the ability to configure their settings according to their specific needs. With this feature, users can update their basic information, along with reviewing their activity to change their preferences as they may wish.

Moreover, Google users now have the liberty to track down the slightest security change made to their Google account, and then take measures to prevent these vulnerabilities from targeting their account again.

Like the majority of internet users online, if you’re skeptical of Google snooping around your online activity- including the searches you’ve made while browsing ‘incognito,’ to target ads at you, you might be pleasantly surprised to know that you can easily opt out of the filter bubble, and altogether reset your advertising ID.

4- Advanced Parental Supervision:

If you’ve got a family to look after, you’d probably be concerned about their online activity- particularly if you’ve got young children to take care of.

As Google puts it, “Children today are growing up with technology, not growing into it like previous generations.” Keeping this in mind, the massive tech corporation has worked with educators to help them devise a system which enables parents to supervise control on their children’s online activity.

Google now enables parents to manage the applications used by their kids, along with setting a bedtime for their devices. Furthermore, parents can enhance their family-friendly experiences with unique features such as smart filters, content ratings, and site blockers. These features prevent vulnerable children from experiencing any inappropriate content while browsing through the interwebs.

5- Provide Security to Businesses:

Security for business owners is quite different from the way the typical layman interprets security. For a common may, the word security revolves around a much more personalized experience. On the other hand, the cyber-security of a business focuses on layered expertise to provide the best protection out there.

To aid business owners, Google provides them with top-notch security features embedded into the core of each of their products. Besides giving users access to the most secure interface, the Silicon Valley giant offers the following perks:

• Data integrity. Google distributes data across multiple security centers, to make sure that in the event of a fire, there’s always a backup of your data available.
• Custom hardware. Google has gone the extra mile and created custom chips, which allows users to identify legitimate Google devices.
• Data encryption. Google protects your businesses’ data by providing users with high-grade encryption, which renders your sensitive information unreadable to any third party. To accomplish this level of encryption, Google utilizes technologies such as HTTPS and Transport Layer Security.
• Secures operations. The tech giant secures your online activity by a series of processes, which include malware monitoring and frequent vulnerabilities scans.
• Access to authorized personnel. Google prevents any third party from gaining access to sensitive information about your business by limiting access. Only a few trusted people can access confidential information, which is protected by organizational and technical safeguards.
• Research on vulnerabilities and backdoors.  With a highly devoted security team, Google works relentlessly to improve the user’s experience. The program “Incident Management at Google” focuses on finding solutions to security issues that occurred in the past.

Final Thoughts:

At the end of the article, we can only hope that we’ve brought you in the loop regarding all the recent security patches made by Google to enhance the user’s experience. With that being said, as a responsible user of technology, you need to be careful while browsing through the internet.