On March 1st is the day when Google’s new all-in-one private policy will enter in effect. This also says that, for example, your Google Web History will be shared with all other Google services you may use.
If you don’t have a Google account and you use search, you are fine, but if you do have, for example, a Gmail account and you didn’t opt-out to remove and pause Web History, then Google is tracking all the searches and the web pages you’ve visited. The tracked data has been always set apart from other services that the search giant offer, but next month, March 1st 2012, your history will be combined among all the Google services you may use.
If you have sensitive information that you don’t want Google mixing with other services (e.g. YouTube, Google+, and others), you can remove and disable Google Web History.
Instructions
1. Sign in to your Google account, then visit https://www.google.com/history in the address bar of the web browser. Another way to get to the Web History is by clicking in the profile button (top-right corner from a Google service such as Google+ or Gmail), then selecting Account Settings and at the bottom of the page, under Services, click the Go to Web History link.
2. Once in the Web History page, if you see a list of search terms and web pages you’ve visited, your Web History is enabled. Click the Remove all Web History button, then confirm by clicking the OK button to finishing clearing all of your Web History.
What is going to happen from this day forward is that your searches and web pages you visit will not longer be tracked by Google. In the remote case that you want to enable tracking again, just click the Resume button.
Let us know in the comments below if you are planing to stop Google Web History or if you’ve already done it.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].