Google admits tracking users on smartphones despite disabled feature
San Francisco, Aug 18: Google has updated a help page for customers of mobile phones to acknowledge that they still can be tracked for using its Search or Maps services, even if they turn off the phone's tracking feature.
In the help page for the Location History setting, Google clarified, "This setting does not affect other location services on your device, like Google Location Services and Find My Device. Some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps," Xinhua reported.
The Google update came three days after a report of the Associated Press said that several Google apps and websites store user location even if users have turned off Location History.
The latest description of the Google help page is an apparent revision of what the US tech giant has previously stated: "With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored."
Google has been criticized for tracking users' locations, which could result from its push to make more profits from advertisers who could target more easily a certain group of users with the Google tracking data.
Google's previous statement about Location History could be misleading for users who turned off the tracking feature to show they did not want to be tracked, while the users were not aware that they were still tracked for their movements and locations via other Google services, such as Google Search, Maps, weather updates or browser searches.
Google offers users ways to keep their movements or locations private by disabling the "Web and App Activity" option on their mobile devices.
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SWR announces special trains between Yeshvantpur-Mangaluru in view of Christmas festive
Bengaluru: The South Western Railway has announced the running of two-trip special trains between Yeshvantpur Junction and Mangaluru Junction, in order to clear the Christmas festive rush.
According to a release from the SWR, Train No. 06505 Yesvantpur-Mangaluru Junction Express Special will depart from Yesvantpur at 11:55 PM on December 23 and 27, 2024, and reach Mangaluru Junction at 11:45 AM the next day.
In the return direction, Train No. 06506 Mangaluru Junction-Yesvantpur Express Special will depart from Mangaluru Junction at 01:00 PM on December 24 and 28, 2024, and arrive at Yesvantpur at 10:30 PM the same day.
Enroute, the train will have halts at Kunigal, Channarayapatna, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabakaputtur, and Bantwal stations.
