Google adds Incognito Mode to Maps, auto-deleting history to YouTube

Google on Wednesday revealed new privacy features for Maps, YouTube and the Google Assistant that aim to help users keep their online activities as private as possible.

On Google Maps, users can now enable Incognito Mode to prevent their activities and searches on the platform from being saved by Google.

“You can easily turn on Incognito mode by selecting it from the menu that appears when you tap your profile photo, and you can turn it off at any time to return to a personalized experience with restaurant recommendations, information about your commute, and other features tailored to you,” Google explained on its blog.

According to the company, the feature will be available for Android users this month and roll out on iOS “soon”.

Google is also allowing users to easily get rid of their YouTube search history by adding its auto-delete function to the platform.

“Set the time period to keep your data — three months, 18 months, or until you delete it, just like Location History and Web & App Activity — and we’ll take care of the rest,” Google said.

With voice commands like “Hey Google, delete the last thing I said to you,” users can delete their Google Assistant history as well.

The feature will roll out for English users next week, and the company will roll out support for other languages next month.

“If you ask to delete more than a week’s worth of data from your account, the Assistant will point you directly to the page in your account settings to complete the deletion,” Google further noted.

The company on Wednesday also launched Password Checkup for added security across Google accounts and the web.

Feature image: Google