Google I/O 2022: Techno Giant Introduces Privacy Controls To Customise Ads, Gives Additional Privacy

Google is launching two features aimed at giving consumers greater control over their private information, in addition to a technological toolbox that alters how, when, and where data is handled to safeguard its privacy and safety, the firm announced at its annual developer conference Google I/O 2022.

The technology company has stated that it would make it much easier for consumers to request the elimination of search engine results that contain private contact information such as phone numbers, home addresses, and email addresses in the following months.

It will be accessible via the Google app, and every user may also gain access to it by clicking the three dots adjacent to individual Google Search results.

Private Information To Be Removed From Search Results

Google stated in April 2022 that it is increasing the types of confidential information that consumers may request to be deleted from search results.

People can now request the deletion of private contact information such as a phone number, email address, or physical address underneath the new policy update. It also enables the elimination of extra material in search results that may constitute a danger for identity theft, such as secret log-in credentials.

"When we receive removal requests, we will evaluate all content on the web page to ensure that we're not limiting the availability of other information that is broadly useful, for instance, in news articles. We'll also evaluate if the content appears as part of the public record on the sites of government or official sources. In such cases, we won't make removals," reported Moneycontrol.

Initially, Google only permitted deletion requests for sensitive, personally identifiable information, including bank account or credit card information.

Control Ads You Want To See

At the event, Google also revealed intentions to make it easier for consumers to limit the advertising they see on Google Search, YouTube, and Discover feeds by adding additional options to their advertisement privacy settings.

My Advertisement Center, which will be accessible by the end of the year, will allow users to select the sorts of advertising they want to view across numerous themes such as fitness, vacation rentals, and skincare, as well as learn more about the details the tech giant utilises to present these advertisements to them.

Introduction Of Virtual Cards

In addition, the business is offering virtual cards for Chrome and Android, which will substitute the user's actual card number with a separate, virtual number when they use autofill to provide their payment credentials at the checkout page on online shopping websites.

The functionality will be available for Visa, American Express, and Capital One cards later this year, with Mastercard compatibility due later in the year.

On the Google Pay webpage, users will be able to engage this functionality for compatible cards, retrieve their virtual card number, and view previous virtual card payments.

Better And Safe Computing

Google also created Protected Computing, a growing set of solutions that safeguards user data regardless of where or when it is processed.

The corporation intends to concentrate on three areas as a result of this: minimising the user's footprint of privately identifiable information, using a variety of anonymisation techniques to de-identify the user from their data, and making it technically extremely difficult for everyone, including themselves, to obtain the user's sensitive data via technology solutions such as end-to-end encryption and secure enclaves.

Protected Computing is presently enabling several of Google's products, such as the smart reply function in the Messages app, live translation on the Pixel smartphone, and compromised password notifications on Google Chrome.

Gmail Phishing And Malware Protections

Aside from that, Google is expanding the phishing and malware safeguards found in Gmail to its productivity suite, which comprises Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

A new Account Safety status functionality will also warn users through a simple yellow alert indicator on the user's profile image about activities they may take to safeguard their account.

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