February 27, 2012

How to delete your Google search history

QUESTION

Hi Kim. My friends have been telling me to delete the search history from my Google account before it's too late. I guess Google is changing its privacy policy soon. I don't know how to do that and I'm not even sure I should be concerned. I know you'll give me the straight story, though. Thanks!
-Matt of Rochester, NY, listens to my national radio show on WHAM 1180 AM.

ANSWER

I'd say a little concern is warranted, Matt. Google has been thumbing its nose at online privacy lately.

The search giant recently admitted bypassing the privacy controls in the Web browsers Safari and Internet Explorer. Google did it to track users' online activity and generate advertising revenue. Find out how to protect your browser from this type of tracking.

Google's unified privacy policy, which takes effect Thursday, Mar. 1, is also controversial because you can't opt out of it. The new policy knocks down the fences that currently separate Google's many products.

Your search history, for example, will combine with information that Google has gathered about you in other products, such as YouTube and Google+. It creates a complete digital profile of your activity, and some people find that disturbing.

I'm personally not worried about the policy change itself, as I explain here . However, the amount of information Google collects and what it does with your information is definitely worth a moment of reflection.

Google's new privacy policy kicks in this Thursday. It will combine your search history with all your other Google information. Find out how to remove your history before then. >>

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