How to delete your Google Browsing History before new policy

silkstone · Feb 25, 2012

With just a week to go before Google changes to its new privacy policy that allows it to gather, store and use personal information, users have a last chance to delete their Google Browsing History, along with any damning information therein.

Tech News Daily reports that once Google's new unified privacy policy takes effect all data already collected about you, including search queries, sites visited, age, gender and location will be gathered and assigned to your online identity represented by your Gmail and YouTube accounts. After the policy takes effect you are not allowed to opt out without abandoning Google altogether. But now before the policy takes effect, you have the option of deleting your Google Web History by modifying your settings so that Google is unable to associate data collected about you with your Gmail or YouTube accounts.

Tech News Daily reports that Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that advocates for online privacy, says: "Search data can reveal particularly sensitive information about you, including facts about your location, interests, age, sexual orientation, religion, health concerns, and more."
EFF advises all Google users to delete their web history.

Meanwhile, Center for Digital Democracy has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, asking the Commission to sue Google to stop the policy change. Tech News Daily reports FTC can impose fines up to $16,000 per day for violation.
Daily Mail reports that deleting your browsing history before March 1 when Google's new privacy policy comes into effect will limit Google's ability to track and record your every move online. The process is simple.

Follow the steps below:
1. Go to the google homepage and sign into your account.
2. Click the dropdown menu next to your name in the upper-right hand corner of your screen.
3. Click accounts settings
4. Find the "Services section"
5. Under "Services" there is a sub-section that reads "View, enable, disable web history." Click the link next to it that reads: "Go to Web History"
6. Click on "Remove all Web History"

When you click on "Remove all Web History," your Google Web History is "Paused." What this means is that while Google will continue gathering and storing information about your web history it will make the data anonymous, that is, Google will not associate the information with your online accounts and will therefore be unable to send you customized search results.

Google's ability to gather personalized information about you by assigning data to your Gmail and YouTube accounts will remain "Paused" till you click "Resume."

Read more: http://digitaljournal.com/article/320137#ixzz1nOfMwGEe

Source: Digital Journal

NdMk2o1o · Feb 25, 2012

Bit of a paranoid post tbh, seems this "feature" is disabled by default anyway.

silkstone · Feb 25, 2012

NdMk2o1o said:
Bit of a paranoid post tbh, seems this "feature" is disabled by default anyway.

It was enabled on my google account. I don't remember ever enabling it in the settings. I'm actually not really that much of a privacy nut apart from with my personal information. But i thought other members on here might be interested in being able to disable it.

Athlon2K15 · Feb 25, 2012

Seriously if your worried about your privacy you shouldnt be on the internet at all.

BarbaricSoul · Feb 25, 2012

I've been curious about this. I personally do not have a google account as I just don't see the need for one. If I don't have a account, do I need to worry about this?

INSTG8R · Feb 25, 2012

I just started using Ghostery for Firefox. Basically blocks all trackers. That is my answer to Google's new policy.

silkstone · Feb 25, 2012

BarbaricSoul said:
I've been curious about this. I personally do not have a google account as I just don't see the need for one. If I don't have a account, do I need to worry about this?

Nope, but all google accounts are being grouped together. 1 account for all of googles services.

Daimus · Feb 25, 2012

Removing all Web History does not help. Only a full format disks excludes espionage Google.

qubit · Feb 25, 2012

INSTG8R said:
I just started using Ghostery for Firefox. Basically blocks all trackers. That is my answer to Google's new policy.

Thanks, I hadn't heard of Ghostery before. Installed and running now: amazing how much sh!t it's found...

Daimus · Feb 25, 2012

INSTG8R said:
I just started using Ghostery for Firefox. Basically blocks all trackers. That is my answer to Google's new policy.

This is an excellent program. Before that I used BetterPrivacy.

INSTG8R · Feb 25, 2012

qubit said:
Thanks, I hadn't heard of Ghostery before. Installed and running now: amazing how much sh!t it's found...

Yeah it was a bit of an eye opener. I mean I have always used NoScript and of course that always catches Google Analytics but seems there is plenty more going on...

HD64G · Feb 25, 2012

AthlonX2 said:
Seriously if your worried about your privacy you shouldnt be on the internet at all.

You are a smarty person, eh? If you don't care, keep your thoughts inside! Some people try to keep their privacy even under these circumstances. In conclusion, congrats to the OP. :toast:

Spaceman Spiff · Feb 25, 2012

Another thanks for the ghostery tip.

Also, it seems my settings were already on "Paused" and I know I have not played with those settings before. It did though, have some searches of mine recorded.

INSTG8R · Feb 25, 2012

Spaceman Spiff said:
Another thanks for the ghostery tip.

Also, it seems my settings were already on "Paused" and I know I have not played with those settings before. It did though, have some searches of mine recorded.

Yeah you can "White list" sites your not bothered by. It does mess with Battlelog for example(no surprise there it's full-o-trackers)

Athlon2K15 · Feb 25, 2012

HD64G said:
You are a smarty person, eh? If you don't care, keep your thoughts inside! Some people try to keep their privacy even under these circumstances. In conclusion, congrats to the OP.

Really? This is a discussion board, for all you know TPU could be turning on your webcam at night when your sleeping. I guess Privacy only matters to those who have something to hide, I personally dont care that google is changing the policy,but i live in the USA where we have millions of drones in the skies watching what we do. :laugh:

Mathragh · Feb 25, 2012

After following your instructions(not that much was in my history apparently) I just deleted my google account as a whole.

Trying to use google and their services as little as possible.

Delta6326 · Feb 25, 2012

Lol I'm starting to not like Google to bad I have over 2 Gmail accounts. Oh well.

Thanks for the Ghostery installing now.

EDIT:!! Holy cow ! I just found out that one of my Gmail's has been keeping my history since 2009! Just paused and deleted everything.

Liquid Cool · Mar 4, 2012

"I guess Privacy only matters to those who have something to hide."

It's this ideal that will complete the fascist takeover of the US. It's almost there now.

Best,

LC

Frick · Mar 4, 2012

silkstone said:
It was enabled on my google account. I don't remember ever enabling it in the settings. I'm actually not really that much of a privacy nut apart from with my personal information. But i thought other members on here might be interested in being able to disable it.

It's deactivated on mine per default. Maybe it's different from country to country?

TheoneandonlyMrK · Mar 4, 2012

NdMk2o1o said:
Bit of a paranoid post tbh, seems this "feature" is disabled by default anyway.

mine wasnt ,thanks OP

AthlonX2 said:
Really? This is a discussion board, for all you know TPU could be turning on your webcam at night when your sleeping. I guess Privacy only matters to those who have something to hide, I personally dont care that google is changing the policy,but i live in the USA where we have millions of drones in the skies watching what we do.

id personally prefer to not help them harras me , i break as few laws as poss< that being the absolute truth as i drive in a normal way dont dl and still manage to offend the police ,what with :pimp:

smokein

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How to delete your Google Browsing History before new policy

silkstone

NdMk2o1o

silkstone

Athlon2K15

HyperVtX™

BarbaricSoul

INSTG8R

Vanguard Beta Tester

silkstone

Daimus

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

Daimus

INSTG8R

Vanguard Beta Tester

HD64G

Spaceman Spiff

INSTG8R

Vanguard Beta Tester

Athlon2K15

HyperVtX™

Mathragh

Delta6326

Liquid Cool

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

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