Google adds new privacy controls, but NZ watchdog still sees design flaw

Privacy Commissioner John Edwards says a "privacy-by-design" approach would see Google auto-delete data by default after a short period of time - not make the feature opt-in. Photo / File.

Google has announced new privacy features making it easier to be completely anonymous online and to control how long it stores data about you.

The tech giant has long offered an "Incognito" mode on its Chrome web browser, which lets you surf (cough) adult sites or indeed any sites without your web history being saved.

Now, the Incognito mode is being extended to cover other Google services.

It's just been added as an option for YouTube and will shortly be added to Maps and Search, Google chief privacy officer Keith Enright told the Herald.

And Google has also just introduced a feature that lets you choose whether it stores information about what you search for and where you travel forever, or whether it only holds it for three or 18 months, then auto-deletes it after that.

New Zealand Privacy Commissioner John Edwards appreciates that an auto-delete option has been added.

There's long been the option to wipe your webtracks, but previously you've had to periodically remember, then go through several manual steps.

But Edwards qualifies his praise, saying, "I am curious about why they are offering auto-delete to users as an opt-in, which requires quite a lot of gumption and effort, instead of regularly deleting data, particularly location information after a specified, short period.

"A privacy by design approach would favour the latter, by prioritising privacy options as the default."

Enright counters that, of Google users who visit the relevant settings page, a majority chose the endless-retention option - presumably because the more Google is allowed to remember about you, the better it can tailor search results and Maps suggestions etc. Thus it makes sense to make that the default.

Google has also tightened the rules around how third-party app developers can access data.

Which is all good, but as with the other measures, why wait until now? Does a series of privacy scandals (admittedly most involving rival Facebook), and a posse of finally-stirring politicians and regulators have anything to do with it?

"We realise our work is never done, and we continue to push ourselves to develop simpler tools for users, and better policies to protect user data. With the growth of our product portfolio, the complexity of our privacy challenges has grown, and so has the importance that Google gets privacy right and earns the trust of our users every single day," Enright responds.

To access Google's privacy features, click on your account settings - the fastest way is usually to click your profile photo, usually found at the top right of one of Google's apps, or go to myaccount.google.com.