Privacy and security have been significant topics for Google in 2019. Yet, the conveniences that everyone enjoys, such as finding our way through a new city with the usage of Google Maps, require (individual) information inputs for these apps to fully function.

As indicated by Sundar Pichai’s New York Times op-ed, advertising indeed assists Google to remain such a free product, and it’s likewise what drives Google’s most valuable and useful services to anyone. Without sharing your own data, you wouldn’t have the option to book a rental car with an Assistant or to send an email through the use of Gmail. 

Google’s new privacy features include auto-delete controls on your location and activity data, much easier access to your privacy controls, as well as  two-factor authentication on Android phones. It gathers information on all that you do while utilizing its products and services. There are even times that this information is offered to most advertisers; at times it’s utilized to make it simpler to utilize Google’s products.

For instance, Google utilizes information from Gmail, Chat, and Meet to make the whole Google user experience much convenient, similar to how it’ll figure out how you type and recommend automated message answers that have (ideally) stable natural sound.

Nonetheless, several people don’t want their information to be tracked and stored, period, regardless of what conveniences it may bring or provide to them. While there are as of now approaches to change Gmail’s information collection behavior—more on that in a second—it will before long be simpler to opt-out Google’s trackings. It’s all thanks to two new Gmail settings turning out in the coming weeks. 

How to avoid being tracked by Google?

To start with, every user will now have the option to enable Gmail’s “Smart features” like Smart Compose, Smart Reply, and so on. While these are convenient, Google needs to root through your Gmail, Meet, and Chat information for them to work. 

The other setting lets every user forestall Gmail, Chat, and Meet data from being utilized in other Google applications. Much the same as debilitating smart features, turning off personalization eliminates certain convenience, for instance, content suggestions in Google search, café suggestions in Google Maps, or automated bill pay updates from Google Assistant. You may lose a touch of support, however, you will, in any event, keep Google out of your inbox a smidgen more. 

On its blog, Google has officially confirmed that these two new settings will go live in Gmail in the ‘coming weeks’. The said new settings are purposely for controlling if the available infos you have in Gmail, Meet, and even in Chat can be utilized to offer such “smart features” in these products. Impairing these settings will keep Google from utilizing your information to give these personal experiences to you. These options can be enabled or disabled whenever you want, just simply go to Gmail settings. 

You can turn off Gmail’s Smart features and personalization options in the settings menu.

Every Gmail user will receive these new permissions in form of automated prompts in the coming weeks. All things considered, if ever that you’d preferably not wait, you can always change (a portion) of your Gmail data preferences in Gmail’s settings at the present time. 

Pull up Gmail, and afterward visit Settings > General to turn off the accompanying options: 

• Smart Compose
• Smart compose personalization 
• Nudges
• Smart reply 

Next, just simply go to Settings > Inbox. Deselect all inbox classifications and then turn off the “Important Markers.” 

You can change how your other Gmail information is utilized by simply going to Settings > Accounts and Import > Other Google Account settings. 

Try not to stress if ever that you didn’t have the foggiest idea about these features to collect your data; it’s not even mentioned anyplace in Gmail’s settings. Fortunately, the new user options are much more clear about how Smart features really work and how Google utilizes every data it has gathered. 

To understand who’s using your data can be difficult at times. On the off chance that you decide to not permit smart features in your Gmail, Chat, and Meet to utilize your information, at that point you won’t get automated email categorization into the Promotions, Social, and Primary inboxes, you won’t have the option to able to utilize smart compose while you’re typing an email, nor will you see rundown cards for shopping, travel reservations, and package tracking, and neither will there be any schedule occasion creation from dates as well as other details in emails.

Likewise, in the event that you decide to not personalize other Google items with your Gmail, Chat, and Meet information, at that point Google Assistant won’t have the option to offer you bill updates, Google Maps won’t offer café reservations, and Google Pay won’t surface any faithfulness cards and tickets. 

Google also clarifies in its blog that “smart features” depend on your data to spare your time and give a more helpful experience. Google wants you to utilize them for the reason that you find value in using them, not on the grounds that they’re just there.

The tech goliath says that these new settings will be enabled for every individual Gmail user and even a Google Workspace administrator. 

Inline with new data settings, Google has revealed an update for its Maps applications, adding various features in order to help users with exploring while at the same time staying safe in the pandemic. 

Public transit directions will currently show how bustling a transport or train is in real-time, based on information that is gathered from different Maps users. Food delivery applications, then, would now be able to show their status directly in the Maps application, permitting every person ordering food to follow or keep track of their dinner. 

What’s more, in the US, another state-by-state view will show the status of the pandemic even just a glance, with states shaded red, yellow, or – later on– green contingent upon their active cases count.