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diff --git a/wired/old/published/How To Wiki/stopgooglewebhistory.txt b/wired/old/published/How To Wiki/stopgooglewebhistory.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..09c2227 --- /dev/null +++ b/wired/old/published/How To Wiki/stopgooglewebhistory.txt @@ -0,0 +1,23 @@ +If you've been to Google's homepage lately, and the chances you have are astronomical, you may have noticed a little announcement mentioning something about changes in Google's privacy policy. You've probably ignored it, but you shouldn't. + +On March 1st 2012, Google will implement a new, unified privacy policy. The new policy is retroactive, meaning it will affect any data Google has collected on you prior to that date, as well as any data it gathers afterward. The official Google Blog has more [http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/updating-our-privacy-policies-and-terms.html details on what the new privacy policy means]. The short story is that under the new policy your Google Web History (all of your searches and the sites you clicked through to) can be combined with other data Google has gathered about you through other services -- Gmail, Google+, etc. + +Previously Google kept your search history separate, which means that its profile of you was less complete. If you'd like to keep that profile, you'll need to delete your existing search history and prevent Google from using that history in the future. + +The Electronic Frontier Foundation has more details on [https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/how-remove-your-google-search-history-googles-new-privacy-policy-takes-effect why you might want to turn off Google's Web History feature]. + +Here's our guide to cleaning your Google house and making sure it stays clean. + +==Wiping your history== + +First sign into your Google account and head to the page [https://www.google.com/history/ https://www.google.com/history/]. Click the button labeled "remove all Web History." Then click "Okay" to confirm. Note that this also pauses your web history going forward. + +[pic1.jpg] + +==Caveats and Considerations == + +This will not stop Google from gathering data when you search. To do that you would need to block Google cookies completely. However, while it will still gather the data, Google will not use it to serve targeted ads or do anything other than use it for internal purposes. Also, with Web History disabled your data is at least partially anonymized after 18 months (if you leave Web History on Google will keep your search records indefinitely). + +On the negative side, bear in mind that while this won't prevent Google from making search suggestions, it will prevent you from getting *personalized* suggestions based on your previous searches. + +To completely block Google from tracking you as you search and browse you would need a cookie and script blocking browser add-on such as [http://www.ghostery.com/ Ghostery]. |