gordonfink
Well-Known Member
This is something I should have known. However, I just learned it last night.
Be very careful with your Google account on your phone. Unknown to me, every map location, address, web item, and anything else that you've searched for, is stored.
Long story short is this. I created a playstore account to access apps on phones that I buy and sell. Sometimes I'll install utility apps to do things, then delete the account prior to resale. On a few, I forgot to delete the account. I deleted the apps, but not the account.
Last night, I noticed some web history on my phone that I knew was not mine. I logged in, and there was 5 months worth of all sorts of things, from a couple different parts of the country. Some of it was stuff, of course, that I in no way would want associated with me. I changed the password, and deleted all of the history (no select all feature - took forever to do), and terminated that account. However, there were troublesome items in that history record that I would not want coming back to me. My backup email account was there, along with attempts to access it, but someone else's phone number was in there.
Then, I looked at my own phone, and found that all of that same info was stored as well for my personal account. I found how to disable the storage of some data, and am looking into how to disable the rest. I generally thought I declined history options and location info, but apparently not.
So, be aware that anytime you use google, search for an address in maps, log into a game, or do some other things, Google is tracking it all. I honestly did not realize the extent of this personal data storage until last night.
I already had decided not to use GMail, but I just didn't know how much else was there. And, do not, ever, forget to delete your account from a phone you sell, because there is no telling what other people will do, and that history is attached to your account and to you.
I think it's easy when you install or start apps to accept all of the conditions, without really looking at them. They might be worth a look.
Just a reminder - hope that helps.
Be very careful with your Google account on your phone. Unknown to me, every map location, address, web item, and anything else that you've searched for, is stored.
Long story short is this. I created a playstore account to access apps on phones that I buy and sell. Sometimes I'll install utility apps to do things, then delete the account prior to resale. On a few, I forgot to delete the account. I deleted the apps, but not the account.
Last night, I noticed some web history on my phone that I knew was not mine. I logged in, and there was 5 months worth of all sorts of things, from a couple different parts of the country. Some of it was stuff, of course, that I in no way would want associated with me. I changed the password, and deleted all of the history (no select all feature - took forever to do), and terminated that account. However, there were troublesome items in that history record that I would not want coming back to me. My backup email account was there, along with attempts to access it, but someone else's phone number was in there.
Then, I looked at my own phone, and found that all of that same info was stored as well for my personal account. I found how to disable the storage of some data, and am looking into how to disable the rest. I generally thought I declined history options and location info, but apparently not.
So, be aware that anytime you use google, search for an address in maps, log into a game, or do some other things, Google is tracking it all. I honestly did not realize the extent of this personal data storage until last night.
I already had decided not to use GMail, but I just didn't know how much else was there. And, do not, ever, forget to delete your account from a phone you sell, because there is no telling what other people will do, and that history is attached to your account and to you.
I think it's easy when you install or start apps to accept all of the conditions, without really looking at them. They might be worth a look.
Just a reminder - hope that helps.
