How to delete your Google Web and App Activity automatically

Google customers may use a new setting to have their web and application activity deleted automatically. The new feature complements the existing options to pause the recording of web and app activity and manual deletion of activity of a Google account.
Google revealed in the beginning of May 2019 that it was about to roll out a new privacy feature that would give customers options to have their activity deleted automatically.
The company gives customers control over the recording of some activity on the My Activity management page. Google customers find options on the page to manage YouTube, Web & App, Voice & Audio, Location, and Device activity and information.
All of these can be paused to disable the recording of activity; existing data may be deleted manually at any time.
Web & App Activity is the first control to get a new feature that automates the deletion of data. The new option may be of interest to Google customers who have not paused the recording of the activity data mostly.
Web & App Activity data is recorded when Google customers use services such as Maps, Google Search, or Google Play.  Google notes that it uses the data to create personalized experiences.
Your Web & App Activity includes the things you do on Google services, like Maps, Search, and Play. It can also include things you do on sites, apps, and devices that use Google services. The activity you keep is used to give you more personalized experiences, like faster searches and more helpful app and content recommendations.
Tip: Google released a privacy checkup option in 2016 to audit privacy settings.
How to delete Google Web & Activity Data automatically

You may set up the automatic deletion of data of your Google activity even if you have paused Web & App Activity.
Here is how you configure the automatic deletion of Web & Activity Data on Google’s My Activity management page:

Visit the Web & App Activity page on the Google My Activity website. Note that you need to be signed in to a Google Account; if you are not, you are asked to sign in.
Locate the new “choose to delete automatically” button under Web & App Activity near the top and activate it.
Select one of the available data retention periods. Google offers two currently: 3 or 18 months.
Select Next.
Google displays a confirmation on the next page and data that will be deleted (if any) based on the new data retention setting.
Select Confirm to finalize the process and enable the new data retention policy or cancel to exit without saving and deleting.

Google confirms the deletion of the data when you hit the confirm button. The button on the main Web & App Activity page changes to “choose how long to keep” from “choose to delete automatically” when you set up automatic deletion of activity data.
Google will delete activity data when it crosses the selected retention threshold.
Closing Words
Automatic deletion of data is a step in the right direction. I’d like to see an option to set a custom time period, e.g. 1 month or 1 year, as it would improve the option further. Privacy conscious users may want to disable the recording of activity or, preferred, avoid using Google services while signed-in to an account. The latter may not be possible all the time though depending on the activity on the Web.
Now You: What is your take on the new option?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here (https://www.ghacks.net/support/) or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/ghacks)). Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to delete your Google Web and App Activity automatically appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/google/

Google is about to change the account access permission workflow

Google plans to roll out a change soon that it says improves the privacy and security of Google customers when web applications request access to a user’s account.
Web applications may request access to Google account data, for example when the app needs to interact with data such as calendars, documents, files, or emails of a Google user account.
Up until now, Google customers see a single screen that lists all requested permissions (after selecting an account if multiple are linked to that particular user).
Each permission is listed on the same page and a small (i) icon next to each permission provides additional information when selected.

In the near future, applications will have to separate permission requests so that each is displayed on its own screen in the process.
Going forward, consumers will get more fine-grained control over what account data they choose to share with each app. Instead of seeing all requested permissions in a single screen, apps will have to show you each requested permission, one at a time, within its own dialog box.
So, instead of requiring a customer to hit “allow” just once to accept all permission requests, Google customers get individual screens for each requested permission that they need to accept individually.
One consequence of that is that the process takes longer if an application requests more than one permission.
Google will prompt the customer to allow or deny access to each requested permission individually. Permission prompts will state the requested permissions, e.g. save, edit, share, and permanently delete, and the data or product, e.g. Google Calendar or Google Drive, the permissions apply to.

One core difference, apart from the splitting of permissions, is that the prompt reveals more about the requested access type right away. Current prompts just state “manage your calendars” or “view and manage the files in your Google Drive” but lack additional details. Some users may find the current permission requests unclear and the new prompts change that.
Google displays all requested permissions and the customer’s response (deny or allow) on a final screen. The “finish signing in” screen features another option to cancel the entire process but also a sign in button to give the application the requested permissions.
Closing Words
It remains to be seen if the splitting of permission requests improves user awareness and choice, or if it results in another “allow, allow, allow” kind of behavior similar to next, next, next of Windows program installation dialogs.
Now You: What is your take on the change?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here (https://www.ghacks.net/support/) or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/ghacks)). Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google is about to change the account access permission workflow appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/google/

Google's blocking new Microsoft Edge from accessing new design

Another accidental oops by Google that affects a competing web browser in a negative way; this time, users of the new Microsoft Edge browser are affected and the Google site that kicks Microsoft’s browser this time is YouTube.
Microsoft Edge users may still access YouTube but they only get the old design at the time. Some may not mind, as the old design offers better performance than the new. Others may object to the blocking of the new layout on YouTube as it works perfectly fine in Microsoft’s browser.
If you check out https://www.youtube.com/new/ in Microsoft Edge, you get a “your browser is not supported” message. That message is followed by the obligatory “get Google Chrome” instead message. Since there is no explanation as to why Edge is not supported while the classic Edge and other browsers are supported, some may switch to Google Chrome if the browser is not installed already.

Microsoft Edge users will notice that live chat is not working as well in the client at the time. YouTube displays a notification that the browser needs to be updated because it appears to be an older version.
There is no newer version, however.

The new Microsoft Edge browser is not available as a stable version at the time of writing and things may not work correctly in preview versions.
If a web browser supports features required to display a website on the other hand, that website should not go out of its way to block it from content or features.
If you change the user agent in the new Microsoft Edge, you will notice that you get access to the new YouTube design all of a sudden.

Live chat still does not work when you change the user agent though.
Closing Words
Microsoft has been anti-competitive in the past and some hold this against the company even today. My stance is that any form of anti-competitive behavior, especially from a position of power — regardless if done on purpose, neglect, or accident — is something that companies should be reprimanded for.
YouTube blocking Edge from functionality is not the first Google property that put a spoke in the new Microsoft Edge’s wheel. Google Docs displayed an “unsupported browser” message to Edge users as well on any document page on the site.
Firefox was on the receiving end for a very long time and a former Mozilla executive accused Google recently of using a sustained pattern of “oops” and “delay” that hurt the browser immensely.
One interesting takeaway from this is that Google is still in a position to hurt competing browsers (be it actively or accidentally) even if these browsers use the same engine as Google Chrome.
Now You: What is your take on this development? Anything that can be done about it? (via Deskmodder)
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here (https://www.ghacks.net/support/) or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/ghacks)). Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google's blocking new Microsoft Edge from accessing new design appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/google/

Google changes layout of mobile Google Search pages

Google revealed a change to its mobile search results pages yesterday that is already being rolled out to all users of the search engine.
Google Search is the world’s most popular search engine and while it lags behind in some regions, it dominates most.
The design refresh of the mobile search results pages aims to better guide customers “through the information available on the web”. Google notes in the announcement that the new design puts a “website’s branding [..] front and center” so that customers “better understand where the information is coming from”.
Site names and icons are displayed on top of the page or site title in the new design. Previously, each entry started with the page title followed by the site icon and (part of its) URL. Now, entries start with the icon and URL, and then the actual page title.

Google believes that the new design makes it easier to scan the results page. Advertisement uses the same format but instead of an icon Ad is shown in its place.
It is hard to say if that makes it harder to spot advertisement; the old design draw borders around Ad which helped distinguish it from regular content. I’d say ads blend in even better than before, and that will surely drive more clicks to them.
Depending on your query, you may get several pages worth of advertisement and other Google-powered features before the first organic search result. The company plans to put even more features and services (that it controls) on search results pages in the future.
As we continue to make new content formats and useful actions available—from buying movie tickets to playing podcasts—this new design allows us to add more action buttons and helpful previews to search results cards [..]
Google is still not honoring its quality guidelines when it comes to advertisement (which it enforces on sites), and the injection of even more Google-powered snippets will will keep Internet users even longer on Google’s properties.
If you don’t like where this is heading, try Startpage Search or DuckDuckGo instead.
Tip: check out these five tips to get the most out of Startpage.
Now You: What is your take on the redesign? More money into Google’s pockets, more control, and more feature snippets, or beneficial to users (in short or long run)?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here (https://www.ghacks.net/support/) or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/ghacks)). Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google changes layout of mobile Google Search pages appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/google/

Google rolls out auto-delete controls for Activity data that it collects

Google started the roll out of new privacy controls for its customers on May 1, 2019 that allow Google customers to configure auto-delete parameters for Activity data that Google collects.
Customers may enable auto-delete to have data deleted automatically when it reaches a certain age. As is the case with most Google features, the new functionality will roll out in the coming weeks to all Google customers.
Google records activity by default and customers of Google, free or otherwise, may manage some of these on the company’s Activity Controls page. First released out in 2014 and updated several times throughout the years, Activity Controls is one of the central management locations that Google provides to its customers when it comes to data collecting and privacy.
The current iteration of the page gives users control over Web & App Activity, Location History, Device Information, Voice & Audio Activity, YouTube Search History, and the YouTube Watch History.
Privacy conscious users may want to turn all of these off, or make sure that Google gets no chance to record them in first place (e.g. by not signing in to an account whenever possible and not using Chrome).
It is easy enough to toggle all activity collection to pause, the only option available. Pausing won’t delete content already recorded though, but you can do so on the My Activity page as well.
Google Activity auto-delete

Auto-delete functionality will become available on the Activity Controls page for all Google customers in the coming weeks.
The feature is limited to Location History and Web & App Activity currently with other data collections that are listed on the My Activity page getting the auto-delete control at a later point in time.
A new “Choose to delete automatically” option is listed under Web & App Activity and Location History once the feature has been rolled out to the Google account.
A click on the option displays a configuration menu; use it to select for how long you want the data to be kept. Google limits this currently to three months or 18 months. Select Next to open the summary page and confirm the selection.
Google will delete the information automatically based on that configuration. Whether that means that any instance of the data is deleted from Google servers is unclear as it is nowhere mentioned.
Closing Words
Google stating that customers “should always be able to manage [their] data in a way that works best for [them]” is somewhat of an overstatement considering that Google customers are not in full control of data that Google collects when they use company products.
The auto-delete option may work for Google customers who have not set activity collecting to paused, e.g. because they use the services and features that rely on these.
Now You: Have you configured Activity collecting on Google?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here (https://www.ghacks.net/support/) or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/ghacks)). Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google rolls out auto-delete controls for Activity data that it collects appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/google/

Google to present browser and search choices to EU Android users

Deja Vu, anyone? Remember when Microsoft had to include a browser ballot screen in the company’s Windows operating system for users from the European Union?
Now it is Google’s turn to provide users from the European Union with similar options on Android. Google just revealed that Android users from the European Union will be presented with options to change the default search engine and browser.
The option is rolling out over the coming weeks, but the company has just published screenshots and information on the process.

The changes will be implemented in two different locations on existing and new Android devices. Google plans to display the screens that you see above to Android users when they open Google Play after the change has landed on the device.
Users get the change to install additional search providers and browsers on the Android device. The screens include installed applications as well as apps that are not installed; the latter are picked based on regional popularity and displayed in random order according to Google.
The screenshots above show search apps from DuckDuckGo, Qwant, Seznam.cz and Ecosia, and the browsers Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Puffin.
Android users may install one or multiple of the offered apps with a tap on the install button. Google Play displays “an additional screen with instructions on how to set up the new app” according to Google.
If a search app is downloaded, Google Chrome will display a notification on next start that informs the user that the search engine can be changed. A link to the Settings is provided where that can be done.

Google implements these changes as a response to feedback provided by the European Union. The company was hit with a massive 4.34 billion Euro fine last year for unfair advantages over competition on Android. Most Android devices come with Google Chrome and Google Search preinstalled.
Closing Words
The change will certainly push other search engines and browsers on Android devices in the European Union. It is unclear by how much, but if Opera’s experience back in 2010 is anything to go by, it could very well triple downloads easily.
Android users who don’t open Google Play won’t get these screens at all. The implementation is different from Microsoft’s implementation almost ten years ago as it is linked to the Play Store and not displayed on first run.
Now You: What is your take on the decision and implementation?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon. Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google to present browser and search choices to EU Android users appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/android

Kiwi Browser update for Android introduces Chrome Extensions support

Kiwi Browser, a mobile web browser for Android that is based on Chromium, introduced support for Chrome browser extensions in its latest update.
Chromium is the source for many browsers on Android including Google Chrome, Brave, Opera, or the soon-to-be-released Vivaldi browser.
Google never added extensions support to the mobile version of Chrome; a likely reason is that it is an effective option to reduce content blockers on Android devices. Android users have plenty of options when it comes to content blocking, e.g. by using Adguard or a DNS solution, but content blocking would probably be bigger if Chrome would support extensions.
Previous Kiwi Browser versions came with different features that distinguished the browser from the majority of Chromium-based browsers. Kiwi Browser supports native ad blocking, a built-in dark theme, bottom address bar, and accessibility features.
The latest update introduces support for Chrome extensions. The developer notes that all extensions that don’t rely on x86 code are supported by the browser. If you always wanted to run a Chromium browser with uBlock Origin installed on Android, that is your chance now as that extension and many others are supported now.
To be fair, Kiwi Browser is not the first Android mobile browser that is based on Chromium that supports extensions. Yandex Browser, by Russian Internet giant Yandex, introduced support for Chrome extensions last year already.
If you look beyond Chrome, Firefox supported extensions in its mobile browser for Android for a very long time.
Kiwi Browser is available on Google Play but the latest version of the browser is also available on the project’s GitHub page. Since it takes a while before the new version reaches everyone on Google Play, you may want to download and install the mobile browser on GitHub instead as you can be certain that you are getting the latest release version. The release is signed.
Installing Chrome extensions in Kiwi

You need to prepare Kiwi Browser to support Chrome extensions; it is an easy two-step process:

Load chrome://extensions in the Kiwi Browser address bar.
Switch on Developer Mode.

The easiest option when it comes to installing Chrome extensions in the mobile browser is to open the desktop version of the Chrome Web Store in Kiwi browser. Just use this link if you have troubles locating it.
All that is left is to find extensions that you want to install. Tap on the install button (add to chrome) to start the installation process. Kiwi Browser displays a prompt that highlights the extension’s extra permissions, and if you accept it, installs the extension in the browser.
Closing Words
Support for extensions is certainly a strong argument for a mobile browser but not the only one; Firefox would have a much bigger market share if it would be one of the main factors when selecting mobile browsers.
Now You: how important are extensions for you? (via XDA)
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon. Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Kiwi Browser update for Android introduces Chrome Extensions support appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/android

First look at Firefox Lockbox for Android

Firefox Lockbox is a new password manager for Android by Firefox-maker Mozilla designed to provide Firefox Account users with easy access to saved passwords.
Firefox Lockbox is not a typical password manager. While it shares some functionality with apps like LastPass or Bitwarden, it is more restrictive when it comes to the functionality it provides.
Mozilla launched Firefox Lockbox for Apple’s iOS operating system in 2018 already, and an alpha extension for desktop Firefox browsers in late 2017.
Basically, what it does is make available passwords saved by a Firefox Account. Setup is quite easy: all you do is install the Firefox Lockbox application on your Android device and run it after the installation completes.
Tap on get started, and sign in to a Firefox Account. Firefox Lockbox syncs all stored passwords automatically and displays all in list form in the interface.

Tip: You may want to disable the sending of usage data in the Settings.
You can copy the username or password, or open the linked URL.  The app locks itself automatically after five minutes, and you may enable auto fill to let Firefox Lockbox fill in logins automatically if the app supports that.
Firefox Lockbox does not support any password management options. You cannot create new password entries, edit existing entries, or access other information that may be attached to a record.
Who is this for?
Firefox Lockbox displays Firefox Account passwords in a separate application on Android; this is not really that useful on first glance as most Firefox users probably have the browser installed on the Android device as well. They could simply open Firefox and copy the saved username or password from the browser instead.
Autologin functionality is what differentiates Firefox Lockbox from using Firefox for that. Users need to enable it, on the other hand. Firefox Lockbox locks itself automatically which is another differentiating factor.  Whether that is enough to justify the installation remains to be seen, especially since it is easy enough to open Firefox if installed on the device to access the passwords that way.
Closing Words
Firefox Lockbox is a specialized application to access saved usernames and passwords of a Firefox Account, and to sign in to applications on the mobile device using stored passwords. The app cannot be used without a Firefox Account or an instance of Firefox, and provides a read-only view of the data.
Now You: What is your take on Firefox Lockbox?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon. Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post First look at Firefox Lockbox for Android appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/android

APKGrabber: update Android apps without Google Play

APKGrabber is an application for Google’s Android operating system to update installed applications without using Google Play.
The application is a fork of APKUpdater which we reviewed in 2017, twice. APKUpdater development stopped in 2017 and the new app takes over making sure that it is fully compatible with new Android devices and operating system versions.
There are two core reasons why someone would want to use an application like APKGrabber, and both have to do with Google Play.
The first reason is that some Android users don’t want Google Play on their devices because of privacy reasons. The second that they may update applications that are not on Google Play, or install versions of apps that are not yet available on Google Play.
Tip: Find out how to save installed Android apps to your device.
APKGrabber

APKGrabber looks and functions pretty much like APKUpdater. The application displays the list of installed apps on start, each with its name and version.
A tap on the scan button runs a scan for updates. The application scans third-party hosts like APK Mirror for updates and displays all updates that it finds in the updates tab in the interface. APK Mirror is the default source but you may add Google Play, APK Pure, or Uptodown to the list of sources in the application settings.
The current and new versions are displayed for each app, and you may either ignore an update or hit the source button to open it in a browser to download the updated APK file to your device to install it.
The app does not update applications that you select automatically. While that is less comfortable, it does give you more control over the updating process.
New users may want to go through the options on first start; you may change update scan parameters, disable self-update checks, or enable Wi-Fi only checking there.
Closing Words
APKGrabber is a useful application for Android users who don’t want to use Google Play, cannot use it, or want application updates to reach their devices faster or at all. There is a risk in downloading apps from third-party sources, but the same is true for apps that are distributed through Google Play as the past has shown.
Now You: How do you update your apps?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon. Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post APKGrabber: update Android apps without Google Play appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/android

AdGuard 3.0 for Android: Redesign, Stealth Mode, Custom Filter Lists

AdGuard 3.0 is now available. The new version of the popular content blocker for Android  features a redesigned interface, new stealth mode, support for custom lists, and more.
The new version of AdGuard is already available on the developer website. Point your Android browser to this URL and hit the download button to download the new version to your system.
Note that you do need to allow application installations from unknown sources in the Android settings to install the app.
What is AdGuard? AdGuard is a content blocker that runs silently in the background. It blocks advertisement and other undesirable elements in all browsers in the free version. Premium users have ads blocked in all apps that they run on their device.
Some features are only available in the Premium version. You may buy a lifetime license or a subscription-based license on the AdGuard website.
Tip: Check out our review of AdGuard DNS here.
AdGuard 3.0

The app launches a wizard on first start that walks you through some essential configuration options. The wizard is well suited for new and inexperienced users who may feel overwhelmed when they access the entire options the app provides. It is naturally possible to manage all options in the Settings at any time.
Existing users may notice the redesigned interface right away. Layout, icons, and styles have changed, and it is now possible to switch to a dark theme if that is preferred. Just activate it in Settings > General > Dark Theme to do so.
The homepage displays the status of the protection and statistics. The developers have added charts to the app which you may access with a tap on the arrow icon next to any of the numbers on the homepage (e.g. ads blocked).
AdGuard 3.0 supports more filter lists by default and custom URL filter lists. Select Settings > Content Blocking > Filters  to get started. There you may enable or disable specific preset filters, e.g. the Security or Annoyances list.
Custom filter support is reserved for Premium users of the application. You may use it to load filters from URLs that you specify provided that the filter lists are in the correct format.
Stealth Mode is another new feature and it is reserved to premium users as well. Basically, what Stealth Mode does is add better privacy protections to the device.
Stealth Mode supports a large range of privacy options; you may use it to enable the self-destruction of first-party or third-party cookies, change the TTL of third-party cookies, strip URLs of tracking parameters, disable specific browser APIs, hide your user-agent, mask your IP address, or hide search queries.
Some features may appeal to all users, others are probably only of interest to advanced users.
What else is new?

The widget has been redesigned and features some stats about blocked requests.
AdGuard supports DNS-over-TLS in version 3.0.

You can find out more on the official blog.
Closing Words
AdGuard is a great application for Android to block ads and other undesirable elements on the device. It works best with a Premium license but does a good job as well when you run the free version.
The new 3.0 upgrade introduces much needed functionality, some of it reserved for Premium users. The ability to load custom filter lists is handy, and the new Stealth Mode introduces privacy protections that give users more control over what is happening on their devices.
AdGuard is available in sales regularly. New users may want to start with the free version and upgrade to the Premium version in an upcoming sale.
Now You: do you use AdGuard or another content blocker on Android?
Ghacks needs you. You can find out how to support us here or support the site directly by becoming a Patreon. Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post AdGuard 3.0 for Android: Redesign, Stealth Mode, Custom Filter Lists appeared first on gHacks Technology News.
Source: ghacks.net/android