Google provides users with a wide range of services, from search and maps to email, documents, and more. Many of these services utilize your personal account information and activity data to provide customized experiences. This has raised privacy concerns for some users regarding how much of their information Google has access to. That’s where Google’s Permissions Controller comes in – it allows you to view and control what activity data Google can access.
What is a Permissions Controller?
Permissions Controller is a privacy feature introduced by Google that allows you to view and manage what activity data is shared with Google services. It shows you which Google apps have access to information like your location history, web and app activity, and YouTube history. You can then turn off data access for individual apps.
Permissions Controller aims to provide more transparency and control over your Google account data. It lets you selectively limit access so that only the services you want can utilize your activity information.
Where to Find Permissions Controller
To access the Permissions Controller, you need to be signed into your Google Account. Follow these steps:
- Go to your Google Account.
- On the left navigation panel, click on Data & Privacy.
- Under Activity Controls, click on Permissions Controller.
This will open the Permissions Controller page where you can see and manage your app permissions.
How Permissions Controller Works
The Permissions Controller page displays a list of Google services and apps that can access your activity data when you’re signed in. This includes services like:
- YouTube – Access to your YouTube watch history, subscriptions, playlists, and more.
- Maps – Access to your location history and activity on Google Maps.
- Search – Access to your Google search history and activity.
- Google Assistant – Access to data to provide personalized help through the Assistant.
For each service, you can view your current permission settings – either allowed or blocked.
You can tap on each one to view more details on what type of activity data the service accesses. If you want to make a change, simply toggle the switch for that service on or off.
The settings you choose in the Permissions Controller will apply across devices where you’re signed into your Google Account.
Key Things to Know
Here are some key things to keep in mind about the Permissions Controller:
- It may take up to 24 hours for your permission changes to be fully processed across Google services.
- Turning off permissions means the service will no longer use your activity data to customize your user experience. However, it doesn’t delete any past activity data they’ve collected.
- Certain Google services require activity data access to function properly. If you turn off permissions, their functionality may be limited.
- Permissions Controller only controls activity data when you’re signed in. It doesn’t apply to collected anonymous usage data when signed out.
- On iOS devices, turning off permissions may also limit background activities and notifications.
Overall, the Permissions Controller puts you in charge of what activity data Google can access from your account. Adjust the settings thoughtfully based on which services you use and your privacy preferences.
Benefits of Managing Your Permissions
Using the Permissions Controller to selectively manage data access offers a few key benefits:
Improved privacy – You have more control over your information. Only services you want to allow can access your activity data when signed in.
Better recommendations – Services will have less extraneous data to sort through. Recommendations from apps like YouTube can be more tailored to your current interests.
Limit distractions – Restricting activity tracking on some services, like blocking YouTube watch history, can help reduce distractions and the temptation to overindulge.
Reduced personalization – If you don’t want services like Search and Maps building a profile based on your activity, you can turn that tracking off.
More transparency – Simply reviewing the Permissions Controller page makes you more aware of what data Google has access to from your account.
Adjusting your permissions is entirely optional, but the transparency and control provided by this tool are valuable for managing your privacy.
Tips for Using Permissions Controller
Here are some tips to make the most of Permissions Controller:
- Review all your current permissions and make any desired changes in one session. Don’t change settings sporadically.
- Turn off access to apps and services you rarely use. There’s no need for them to compile your activity data.
- Keep activity history permissions on for your most-used services to retain functionality. For example, leave YouTube history on if you use it daily.
- Reassess permissions occasionally in case your usage of Google services changes. Adjust settings if needed.
- View the detailed activity data each service accesses before deciding whether to allow access. Make informed decisions.
- On iOS devices, be aware that turning off permissions can also stop background activity and notifications. Keep this in mind.
- If you want to delete past activity data, you’ll need to clear it directly within each Google service. Permissions Controller looks forward, not backward.
Conclusion
Google’s Permissions Controller puts important privacy controls at your fingertips. With it, you can easily view and manage what Google apps and services have access to your account activity data. Adjusting these settings allows you to limit data access based on your comfort level and preferences. While the Permissions Controller has some caveats, overall it provides valuable new transparency into how Google uses your information. Regularly reviewing and fine-tuning these permissions can help keep your activity data more private.
FAQs about Permissions Controller
What types of activity data can Google services access?
Permissions Controller shows permissions related to web & app activity, location history, YouTube history, voice & audio activity, contacts, chrome browsing history, and more. The detailed description for each service spells out exactly what’s included.
Can I use the Permissions Controller on iOS devices?
Yes, Permissions Controller is available on iOS within your Google Account settings. The functionality is a bit more limited on iOS compared to Android, but you can still view and toggle permissions.
Where is my activity data stored?
Your data is stored by Google to provide services when you’re signed into your account. You can view and delete some activity directly within services like Location History and YouTube History.
Are there any permissions I shouldn’t turn off?
It’s generally fine to toggle permissions on or off as you see fit. However, turning off certain activity permissions can limit functionality for some services. For example, turning off Location History may cause problems for Google Maps.
If I turn off permissions, does Google delete my past activity data?
No, the Permissions Controller only limits future activity collection when signed in. To delete any existing activity history, you need to clear it directly within each Google service. Permissions Controller does not automatically erase previously collected data.