Google apps track your location even when you disable it

Google is often referred to as big brother and the agency's latest discovery AP will definitely not rid him of this label, rather the opposite. Some of the Google apps for iOS and Android save the location history even if the user has deactivated this option.

Applications from Google, such as Google Maps, allow the user's location to be stored and the locations visited to be displayed on a timeline. But while using Google Maps, Princeton University researcher Gunnar Acar found that even if he turns off location history for his Google account, the device continues to record the places he's visited.

It seems that even when location history recording is paused, some of Google's apps ignore this setting. Confusing rules regarding data collection and allowing other app features to store location information are likely to blame. How does it look in practice? For example, Google only stores a snapshot of your location when you open Google Maps. However, automatic updates of weather information on some Android phones require information about your location at all times. Research at Princeton University focused only on devices with Android OS, but independent testing by the AP agency also passed apple smartphones that showed the same problem.

“There are several different ways Google can use location information to improve the user experience. This is, for example, location history, web and app activity, or device-level location services," a Google spokesperson said in a statement to the AP. "We provide a clear description of these tools, as well as appropriate controls, so people can turn them off and delete their history at any time."

According to Google, users should turn off not only "Location History" but also "Web and App Activity." This will ensure that Google stops not only creating a timeline of the places the user has visited, but also stops collecting any other location data. If you turn off location history on your iPhone through Google's app settings, you'll be told that none of your apps will be able to save location data to your location history. The AP notes that while this statement is true in a way, it's misleading — location data won't be stored in your location history, but you'll find it stored in the My activity, where location data is stored for ad targeting.