Navigating the world and paying zilch for it would probably be considered a joke even a decade ago. But Google Maps changed that for us. Google Maps helps us to find any location we want on the planet and helps us gather knowledge about it. It also helps us navigate to it, all for absolutely no cost. Or so they will have you believe.
In reality, through Google Map, Google can collect huge array of information and data about us. Not that this hasn’t been informed to us. If only one of us actually read their terms and conditions once in our life, we’d really be better off as it does mention something about data collection. But that clearly is not happening.
But with Google Map, we are a little more vulnerable than we think we are. The app collects a huge amount of private data, even while being turned off. You can check your location history and it will detail all your whereabouts since the time you have been using the app, with information about every single day. You see the app while being a navigation tool, also doubles as a tracking device. If you don`t want to disclose any information about your location or whereabouts to Google or any other third party (Hackers, Government, Unauthorized Identities), then get cell phone jammers to jamm your GPS and Cell Phone Frequencies.
It is almost disturbing to have your private information all collected and then poured over and analyzed by Google. How this benefits Google you ask? Well, for starters, Google can then analyze you and build an advertising profile best suited for you. It apparently also helps them customize their services according to individual users.
But if you think you can live without having advertisement pop up that you have more chances of clicking then you can follow few simple steps to switch off the tracker that is the Google Map app. And here is how you do it:
iOS users should follow these steps:
- Drag the tab in the bottom left corner to the right to slide open the menu and then tap “Settings.”
- Tap “Location History,” then “Location History” again.
- Check the box next to “Do not store,” then tap the back arrow.
- Tap “Location Reporting.”
- Check the box next to “Do not report.”
Android users should follow these steps:
- Drag the tab in the bottom left corner to the right to slide open the menu and then tap “Settings.”
- Tap “Google location settings.”
- Under “Location Services,” tap “Google Location Reporting.”
- Tap “Location Reporting”
- Slide the toggle to “Off,” then tap the back arrow.
- Tap “Location History.”
- Slide the toggle to “Off.”
And voila! Your whereabouts to the Chinese joint at the end of your street is none of Google’s business anymore. You are safe from having your personal information recorded by Google to be analyzed to advertise better.
But if you are still at unrest and want all of your previous data to not exist anymore, you can also take care of that by deleting the location history Google has stored on its server. Just visit https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0/ which is on Google’s site and click the “Delete all history” link in the menu on the left side. And there you go. A clean slate!
Apart from following these mandatory manual routines, the security of your privacy is still not 100% guaranteed. It is best to pair these manual privacy monitoring routines with the help of Jammers – After all, no compromise can be made when it comes to privacy and no loopholes should be left to protect your family and you.
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