Protect Your Privacy: Clear Your Web History on Google

Beginning on March 1^st, Google will be initiating its new privacy policy. This policy will allow the company to combine your web history with information that Google has collected from their other products, such as YouTube or Google Plus, in order to develop targeted advertising and reminders. This could potentially reveal personal information you do not wish to be known such as your location, interests, sexual orientation, or religion. If you want to stop Google from using your information, you must delete your web history from all of your Google accounts before March 1^st. In order to do this, you simply need to log on to your Google account, go to Google’s Web History page, click “remove all Web History,” and finally click “OK.” If you do have more than one Google account, you will have to repeat this process for each account. Step-by-step instructions with images of the computer screen for each step can be found here.  An additional article and set of instructions can also be accessed here. Act quickly if you want to ensure your privacy’s protection.

Be aware that there are several additional things you can do to protect your privacy. Remember that there are many search engines out there other than Google. You always have the option of using some of these privacy-friendly engines. CNET News writes that Ask.com is the most protective of user privacy of the five largest search engines.  Check out EFF’s webpage for six additional hints on how to use technology without compromising your privacy.

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