Google Maps update shields consumer location data from regulation enforcement requests

Why it matters: Allowing companies get right of entry to for your non-public statistics has been a contentious trouble for the reason that rise of the net. It's specially concerning whilst that information is related to place information, which is partially why Google has modified its coverage regarding get admission to to users' vicinity histories in Maps. The pass way it is able to now not reply to warrant-enforced requests from law enforcement approximately who become inside the place of a criminal offense.

Google says that its update to Google Maps will give customers greater manage over their place records. The navigation app's Location History characteristic, which is grew to become off through default, stores your pastime inside the cloud, showing in which you've got recently been. The idea is to help people bear in mind the locations they've visited and the way they were given there.

Following the replace, users' Timeline statistics could be stored at the tool itself instead of the cloud, even though there could be an choice to replace it to the cloud as a backup if you want. This data can be encrypted, so nobody, no longer even Google, may be capable of see it. Additionally, Google will handiest hold the facts for 3 months instead of the previous 18 months, unless you specify otherwise.

One large implication of this transformation is that by way of saving area statistics directly onto someone's device, Google will now not be capable of observe regulation enforcement requests demanding person area data.

"Your location facts is non-public," said Marlo McGriff, director of product for Google Maps. "We're dedicated to keeping it safe, private and for your control."

Jennifer Lynch, the general suggest on the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), informed Bloomberg, "We've been calling on Google to make these adjustments for years, and I suppose it is extraordinary for Google customers, as it manner that they are able to take benefit of functions like vicinity records without having to worry that the police will get get entry to to all of that records."

In September, a Bloomberg research determined that police inside the US were an increasing number of the use of warrants to attain area and seek records from Google. This blanketed non-violent instances and also involved individuals who had not anything to do with the crimes.

October brought information that the Colorado Supreme Court had upheld a seek warrant that worried the exam of a few Google customers' key-word records to become aware of suspects in a fatal 2020 arson fireplace. The selection drew grievance from privateness advocates, including the EFF, which wants a complete ban on key-word warrants.