Google, in its almighty big tech way of harvesting more of your privacy, has a hidden feature inside its photos and maps tools that looks like a weather map when accessed. Instead, the only storms you see are exactly where you’ve been, when you were there, and the photos you captured in that spot.
Yes, Google still tracks your every move with location data and more. In exchange, they make some of the most sought-after mapping tools and photo storage tools. What’s convenient and novelty is also a very personal history of your life available to anyone who can get access to your phone or Google account.
iPhone: 4.7 stars (at time of publishing)
Android: 4.5 stars (at time of publishing)
If you don’t want to be tracked and have all of your photos’ location data mapped on Google, then follow these tips.
How to check Google Photos settings (iPhone & Android)
- Launch Google Photos app
- In the bottom bar, tap search
- Under Places section, you can see all the places associated with the photos you’ve taken
- That’s where you see Your map showing all the photos taken in a specific spot
Can my photos be tracked through Google?
The short answer is yes, Google can track all your data, even through the photos you take. Google’s services and applications often request various permissions, such as access to your device’s camera and photo library, in order to provide features and functionality. By granting these permissions, you enable Google to analyze and process the data within those photos, which can contribute to its data collection efforts. However, this happens only when you have the Location Settings for your photos turned on. There is a way to turn this off. However, this will still show a location on your photos that only you can see.
MORE: HOW TO DIGITIZE OLD PHOTOS AND SLIDES
How to limit Google’s tracking of your photos on your iPhone
- Open Google Photos
- Click the circular icon (with your image or initials in it) in the upper right-hand corner of the screen
- In the pop-up box, click Google Photos settings in the 2nd to last row
- Click the Location row (7th row down). On the next screen, you’ll see 2 options:
- Photos with location – Click this row, and you’ll see all the photos you currently have with location details
- Location sources – Click this row, and it will show you how your photos get location data. Under location Services, you will see the following 3 options:
- Camera settings – review whether your camera app adds location to photos (Tap it, and you will see detailed instructions in the app on how to adjust per setting)
- Estimate missing locations – if you toggle this Off, it will prevent the use of landmarks, your location history, and other sources to estimate where your photos were taken.
- View and manage estimated locations – If you click this row, you’ll see all your photos with estimated locations on your photos. Here’s how to enter a location or remove a location:
- Click a photo
- Click the 3 dots in the top right of the photo
- Scroll down and note the “estimated location” under the photo
- Click the pencil icon at the end of the row and click “Remove location.” Similarly, if, for some reason, you wanted to add a location to this photo, you could manually add it in this box where it says Enter location
MORE: HOW TO REMOVE YOUR LOCATION FROM PHOTOS
How to limit Google’s tracking of your photos on Android
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
- Open Google Photos
- Click the circular icon (with your image or initials in it) in the upper right-hand corner of the screen
- In the pop-up box, click Google Photos settings in the 2nd to last row
- Click the Location. On the next screen, you’ll see 2 options:
- Photos with location – Click this row, and you’ll see all the photos you currently have with location details
- Location sources – Click this row, and it will show you how your photos get location data. Under location Services, you will see the following:
- Estimate missing locations – if you toggle this Off, it will prevent the use of landmarks, your location history, and other sources to estimate where your photos were taken
- View and manage estimated locations – If you click this row, you’ll see all your photos with estimated locations on your photos. Here’s how to enter a location or remove a location:
- Click a photo
- Click the 3 dots in the top right of the photo
- Scroll down and note the “estimated location” under the photo
- Click the pencil icon at the end of the row and click “Remove location.” Similarly, if, for some reason, you wanted to add a location to this photo, you could manually add it in this box where it says Enter location
Please note that you can only update or remove estimated locations. If the location of a photo or video was automatically added by your camera, you can’t edit or remove the location.
However, moving forward, you can change a crucial setting so that your location is not on future photos.
How to disable your location on photos on iPhone
- Go to settings
- Click on privacy and security
- Then tap on location services
- Scroll down to Photos – then click Never
How to disable your location on photos on Android
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
- Select the Camera app
- Tap the sprocket icon in the upper left
- Scroll down and toggle off Location tags (This will remove any location tags to your pictures so no one can see where they were taken)
It’s important to realize while you may want to be super private if you do remove your location from future photos, you will not be able to search your photos by searching by city or state.
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How to disable Google Photos location map feature
On Mobile (iPhone & Android):
- Open Google Maps on your phone while signed into your Google account
- Click the icon in the upper right-hand corner
- Click Your timeline
- Click the 3 horizontal dots (iPhone) or 3 vertical dots (Android) in the upper right-hand corner
- Click Settings and Privacy
- Go to the 5th row down which says Location History. Be sure to select that it is off. If it is currently on, click the row, which will bring you to the next page, scroll down and click the “Turn off” button.
- You can also set an Auto Delete option where the location data will be automatically deleted from your view after a period of time you set.
On a Desktop
- Open Google Maps on your desktop while signed into your Google account
- Click the icon in the upper right-hand corner > Manage your Google Account
- Click Data & Privacy
- Under History settings module in the center of the page, go to the Location History row and click the row
- Be sure to Turn off location history
- You can also set an Auto Delete option where the location data will be automatically deleted from your view after a period of time you set
Kurt’s key takeaways
In a world where convenience and novelty come at the cost of personal privacy, Google’s hidden weather map feature in Photos and Maps reveals a disturbing reality: every moment captured on your device becomes a detailed record of your life, accessible to anyone with access to your phone or Google account. To protect your privacy, follow these steps to limit Google’s tracking of your photos and disable location services.
Should Google and other big tech companies be required to ask you first before deep tracking your life?
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