Google – as you all may know – is one of the biggest repository of data in the world. And today after using the newly released ‘My Activity’ website, we get to see that it does keep a huge collection of user data as well. But, it is now also trying to make it easier for users to control what information they want to dispense to them.
The new ‘My Activity’ tool provides the user with a card-based timeline of-sorts, showing their recently visited websites, YouTube videos, Google searches among other results. Users can go back and search for the history of any particular day. They can also delete specific entries, in a way similar to deleting your browsing history.
In addition to this, Wired believes that each user will soon receive a notification from big-daddy themselves, telling them to check their security settings. And why is Google doing this? Well, because they are now handing over more control and power to you.
Google inherently shows ads based on your search and video history, including the websites you visit. But, it is now rolling out a new opt-in setting that will let you personalize your online life.
It will now provide you with a slew of options(as seen above) that will help you personalize ads on third-party websites. You will have an option to personalize it on the basis of topics, gender, age and the most-important your web history. It will update the privacy policy on each of your device, and would block ads based on your choice.
Google is laying so much focus on this feature because it wants you to come join and opt-in to personalize your feed. Mostly people will just login, check-out the main page, see the timeline and then leave believing all of it is perfect. But, if you don’t wanna see the same shoes you once checked-out on Amazon to appear in the ads again, then you should go ahead and tinker with the ad personalization option.
