From Google Accounts to Third-Party Apps: How Android Users Can Remove Sensitive Info Online
The fact that they're so closely linked means Google, from Google Accounts to third-party apps, always has a watchful eye on Android users. Downloads, Google searches, Google Play Store searches, and all personal information input are recorded and stored.
Follow our guide below to learn how Android users can remove sensitive information online. How Google Collects Data from Android Users
Google has carefully designed multiple methods of data collection from Android users for different and specific reasons. This table outlines the data type, method of collection, and reason for collection: Data type Source / Mechanism Purpose Unique device identifiers (Android ID, IMEI, MAC, Advertising ID) Collected via Google Play Services, Google Mobile Ads SDK Device recognition, analytics, ad targeting IP address Automatically captured by Google Mobile Ads SDK Location estimation, analytics, fraud prevention App usage & interaction data (app launches, taps, session durations) Google Play Services SDKs, Mobile Ads SDK App performance tracking, feature usage insights, analytics Diagnostics & crash reports Google Play Services, Crashlytics, Ads SDK App stability, debugging, quality improvement Device info (model, OS version, network carrier, browser type) Google servers receive this during updates/accesses Feature compatibility, device-specific feature delivery Location data (precise or approximate) GPS, Wi‑Fi & cell‑tower scans, IP lookup, Wi‑Fi access‑point mapping Location features, ads targeting, maps, services Cookies & advertising identifiers Via Play Store and Play Services at boot time (per Trinity study) Persistent ad tracking, cross-service profiling Android Fit / sensor data (steps, health metrics) Google Fit APIs Health tracking, fitness services Saved game data, achievements, social graph Play Games Services SDK Game progression, social features How Android Users Can Remove Sensitive Information Online
If you see that table as eye-opening, and you want to submit a request to remove personal information from Google, it's a sort of easy but long-winded and ongoing process.
Google doesn't actually store any content, so if you search for your personal information online and find it, it means the information must be published on a source site. The websites most likely to publish your data include Data Brokers
Social Media
Online Accounts
Any Other Website
There are different methods for data removal depending on the source. For data brokers, you can request to opt out and have your data removed. Legally, they can add it again after 90 days, so it's an ongoing request.
For Google, they have Google's removal tool. They'll review your request and should remove your data shortly after.
Still, even once they remove it, it won't be long until something reappears again. Anything you do to remove your personal data from the internet is a process you must repeat regularly. The Risks of Not Removing Your Personal Information
The risks of not removing your personal information from the internet are high. Identity theft fraud, for example, caused $12.7 billion in financial losses in 2024, according to Experian. And, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), they received over 1.1 million complaints of identity theft and roughly 2.6 million complaints of related fraud.
Other risks include: Harassment
Data breaches
Stalking
In our opinion, it's essential to regularly remove your data from the internet in 2025. Android users are constantly sharing their personal information without even realizing it. And whilst Google doesn't share your personal information without your consent, third parties might sell it to data brokers.
Image Credit: unsplash.com/photos Filed Under: Android News, Guides
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Why Scottish Mortgage is backing the future of banking for long-term profits
A financial revolution is reshaping how money moves globally, from infrastructure to customer experience. At Scottish Mortgage, we're backing the companies rethinking the system from the ground up, providing meaningful exposure for our shareholders right across the value chain. As with any investment, your capital is at risk. From São Paulo to Singapore, a quiet financial revolution is underway. It's not always visible, but it's already reshaping how we live, spend and move money. Paying with your phone, sending money abroad instantly, and opening a bank account without stepping into a branch - these once-fragmented, frustrating experiences are now seamless, intuitive, and accessible. Behind this shift is a new wave of global companies transforming finance, not through headlines but through innovative, purposeful technology that's quietly reshaping how money moves. At Scottish Mortgage, we're backing companies rethinking finance from the ground up, building faster, more inclusive systems that will define the future of finance. Building the Foundations of the Digital Financial System While consumer-facing apps often grab the spotlight, much of the real transformation is happening behind the scenes. Infrastructure is the quiet layer – the digital plumbing that enables finance to scale, connecting customers, businesses and currencies across borders. Stripe, a payments technology company, is building the internet's economic infrastructure. It provides software that enables online businesses to accept payments and manage financial operations easily. Used by millions of businesses, including by half of the Fortune 100, Stripe processed $1.4tn in payment volume last year. Its vision is to move money in the cloud as seamlessly as data, powering a more connected, scalable financial system. Adyen, a Dutch company with a global reach, offers a single platform that combines payments, risk management, and embedded financial services. Its simplicity, scale, and reliability have made it a critical payments partner for companies like Uber, Spotify and H&M. In 2024, Adyen processed over €1.2tn in total volume, supporting commerce both online and in-store. Wise is building a new network for moving money across borders, designed to make transfers instant, transparent, and eventually free. Its platform allows individuals, businesses and financial institutions to hold and convert multiple currencies with ease. With the global cross-border retail payments market currently worth over £11tn, Wise is well-placed to capture a large and still under-served opportunity. These companies are laying the foundations of modern digital finance, building the infrastructure that makes financial services faster, smarter and more widely accessible. Expanding Financial Access Finance is one of the most powerful tools for individual and economic empowerment. Today, digital platforms are extending that power further and faster than ever, especially in emerging markets, where conventional financial institutions have long failed to reach many. This is the democratisation of finance in action – companies using technology to lower barriers, reduce costs, and give more people access to the tools they need to participate and prosper. NuBank, one of the world's largest digital banks, gives over 100 million individuals across Latin America access to banking services, often via a smartphone alone. Its model brings formal financial services within reach for tens of millions historically excluded from the traditional system. SEA Ltd, a Singapore-based digital platform business, aims to improve the lives of consumers and small businesses through technology. Its digital finance arm, SeaMoney, is expanding financial access in Southeast Asia through digital wallets, payments and credit. With over 28 million users and a loan book of over $5bn, it's helping underserved populations transact and borrow in economies where formal banking remains limited. These companies demonstrate that financial inclusion is not only a societal benefit but a powerful driver of long-term growth. By scaling access, they're also scaling opportunity. Transforming the Customer Experience Incumbent banks are often weighed down by legacy infrastructure, which is complex, costly, and resistant to change. By contrast, a new generation of companies is starting with the customer and building from the ground up. These innovators are redesigning what it means to manage money in a digital world, prioritising speed, simplicity, and control. Revolut, a UK-based digital banking platform, is reshaping finance with an all-in-one app that combines a wide and growing range of services, from spending and saving to investing, currency exchange, and crypto. With over 50 million customers across 40+ countries, it offers a fast, flexible alternative to traditional banks, built for a digitally connected world. Revolut's emphasis on intuitive design, instant access, and personal financial control exemplifies how customer experience is becoming a core competitive edge. Affirm, a U.S.-based buy-now-pay-later provider, offers a compelling alternative to traditional consumer credit through clear, interest-free instalments and upfront terms. Used for everything from everyday purchases to larger expenses, it helps users budget confidently and avoid surprise fees. With over 20 million active users and 350,000+ merchant partners, Affirm's high repeat usage reflects a customer experience built on trust and control. These businesses prioritise simplicity, affordability, and 24/7 access, features now seen as fundamental to modern financial services, not optional extras. Innovating Financial Ecosystems Leading fintech platforms are evolving into full-service ecosystems, combining payments, credit, savings, and more to meet a broader set of financial needs and drive deeper, more enduring customer relationships. MercadoLibre is a fully integrated ecommerce and fintech platform that creates powerful network effects by linking commerce, payments, credit and logistics in one connected ecosystem. It operates the largest digital platform in Latin America, serving over 100 million users. Its financial services arm, MercadoPago integrates digital wallets, credit, investment and insurance, creating a financial hub for consumers, entrepreneurs, and businesses of all sizes. This interconnected model reflects MercadoLibre's evolution into a full-service ecosystem, deepening its role in users' financial lives and strengthening long-term customer relationships. Ant Group, the operator of China's Alipay super app, has built one of the world's most advanced digital ecosystems. What began as a mobile payments solution has evolved into a platform that integrates lending, wealth management and insurance, alongside everyday commerce. It now connects over 1 billion users to more than 10,000 types of consumer services and 90 million merchants across Asia, anchoring one of the most advanced and scaled fintech ecosystems in the world. These businesses are not simply expanding their product offerings – they are building interconnected ecosystems that strengthen over time, reinforcing user engagement and enabling broader, platform-led financial inclusion. Enabling Global Financial Progress At Scottish Mortgage, we seek out companies driving structural change. We believe that progress – often enabled by technology, led by ambitious founders, and focused on solving real-world problems – is a powerful engine for long-term growth. The digitalisation of finance is a profound, structural shift reshaping how money moves worldwide, and we're backing the companies building the financial systems of the future. Risk Factors The Trust invests in overseas securities. Changes in the rates of exchange may also cause the value of your investment (and any income it may pay) to go down or up. The Trust invests in emerging markets, which includes China, where difficulties with market volatility, political and economic instability including the risk of market shutdown, trading, liquidity, settlement, corporate governance, regulation, legislation and taxation could arise, resulting in a negative impact on the value of your investment. Important Information This article does not constitute, and is not subject to the protections afforded to, independent research. Baillie Gifford and its staff may have dealt in the investments concerned. The views expressed are not statements of fact and should not be considered as advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a particular investment. Baillie Gifford & Co and Baillie Gifford & Co Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The investment trusts managed by Baillie Gifford & Co Limited are listed on the London Stock Exchange and are not authorised or regulated by the FCA.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Google Pixel 10 leaks reveal major upgrades in a familiar design
The upcoming Google Pixel 10 will look strikingly familiar to its predecessor – that's according to Google's official Pixel 10 teaser – but a wave of early leaks suggests it's what's on the inside that will count this year, with Google preparing a slew of major upgrades to the phone's internal hardware and AI capabilities. While the Pixel 10 series is expected to be officially unveiled at the Made by Google 2025 event on 20 August, the internet has already given us a comprehensive look at the new line-up, which is set to include the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. With rumours pointing to a supercharged new Tensor chip and a significant camera boost for the entry-level model, we're expecting Google's next flagship phone to be one of the best phones of 2025. Here's everything we know so far. Google Pixel 10 release date: When will it launch? This year, the Made by Google 2025 event will take place on Tuesday 20 August, where the company will officially reveal the entire Pixel 10 line-up. Google has a fairly consistent track record for its big hardware launches. Following the pattern of previous years, we can expect pre-orders to go live on the same day as the announcement, shortly after the event concludes. The phones would then likely be released and start shipping to customers around two weeks later, suggesting a potential sale date early in September. Google Pixel 10 price: How much could it cost? In what could be a welcome relief for our wallets, early leaks suggest that Google plans to keep the prices of the main Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro models in line with last year's Pixel 9. That should mean £799 for the entry-level Pixel 10 and £999 for the larger Pixel 10 Pro. A report from Android Headlines claims the pricing structure will hold steady, but that Google will add value by bundling in a raft of freebies. These sweeteners could include extended free trials for services like Google's AI Pro subscription, Fitbit Premium and YouTube Premium – similar to the deals offered on the Pixel 9 series – making the overall package more compelling without increasing costs. Google Pixel 10 design, display and colours If you were hoping for a radical redesign, you may be disappointed. Leaked images suggest the design of the Pixel 10 will be almost identical to the Pixel 9, retaining the new pill-shaped camera island rather than the full-width camera bar of older generations. This means we can expect the phones to have very similar dimensions to last year's models, with reports suggesting the return of the excellent 6.3in and 6.8in Actua displays. One significant change, reported by Android Authority, is the introduction of MagSafe-style magnetic charging based on the latest Qi2 standard. This would allow the Pixel 10 to snap satisfyingly onto a whole ecosystem of magnetic accessories like charging docks and car mounts, bringing it in line with the iPhone's snappy magnetic capability. Leaked Pixel 10 imagery has given us a good idea of the potential colour palette. The entry-level phone will reportedly come in four colourways: ultra blue, limoncello (yellow), iris (purple), and midnight. The Pro models are said to arrive in sterling grey, light porcelain, midnight, and smoky green. However, just as with the rumoured iPhone 17, there could be a new colour. A new blue-grey moonstone colour is also rumoured to be available across the entire series. Google Pixel 10 specs and performance But while the exterior looks familiar, it seems Google is going all-in on software and internal hardware with the Pixel 10. The headline upgrade will be the new Tensor G5 chip, which is expected to bring significant improvements to AI and machine learning performance. One leak points to an improved on-board assistant called Pixel Sense, which will proactively offer personalised and contextual help across different apps, reportedly pulling data from your Gmail and Google Docs to help you complete tasks faster. Android Headlines also reports big improvements to the Pixel 10's speakers and upgraded camera stabilisation for smoother video. Battery life is also tipped for a boost, with one source claiming a whopping 100 hours of power when in Extreme Battery Saver mode. Google Pixel 10 camera Perhaps the most significant hardware upgrade will be to the camera system, particularly for the standard Pixel 10. For the first time, the entry-level model is rumoured to have a dedicated zoom lens, a feature previously reserved for the pricier Pro models. This will reportedly join a 50MP wide lens with macro focus and a 13MP ultrawide lens. The Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL are tipped to get an even more impressive array, featuring a 50MP wide lens, a 48MP ultrawide with macro focus and a periscope telephoto lens. This will reportedly be capable of a staggering 100x zoom, thanks to an improved 'Pro Res Zoom' feature that uses AI and clever pixel binning techniques to squeeze more detail from long-distance shots. The verdict: Google Pixel 10 rumours While the Pixel 10 might not turn heads at first glance, rumours suggest that it's shaping up to be one of the most significant under-the-hood upgrades in the series' history, and all this without a price increase, too. The introduction of a zoom lens to the entry-level model is a huge step, closing a major gap between it and the Pro version. Add in the powerful new Tensor G5 chip, a host of smarter AI features and the convenience of magnetic charging, and the Pixel 10 could be a seriously compelling flagship when it arrives later this month.
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
Google agrees to curb power use for AI data centers to ease strain on US grid when demand surges
NEW YORK, August 4 (Reuters) - Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab has signed agreements with two U.S. electric utilities to reduce its AI data center power consumption during times of surging demand on the grid, the company said on Monday, as energy-intensive AI use outpaces power supplies. Utilities in the country have been inundated with requests for electricity for Big Tech's AI data centers, with demand eclipsing total available power supplies in some areas. That power crunch has led to concerns about spiking bills for everyday homes and business and blackouts. It has also complicated the technology industry's expansion of AI, which requires massive amounts of electricity - fast. Google's agreements with Indiana Michigan Power and Tennessee Power Authority would involve scaling back power use at the technology giant's data centers when called upon by the electric utilities to free up space on the grid. They are the first formal agreements by Google in demand-response programs with utilities to temporarily curtail its machine learning workloads, a subset of artificial intelligence. "It allows large electricity loads like data centers to be interconnected more quickly, helps reduce the need to build new transmission and power plants, and helps grid operators more effectively and efficiently manage power grids," Google said in a blog post. Demand-response programs have typically been used by other energy-intensive industries like heavy manufacturing or cryptocurrency mining. In exchange, the businesses generally receive payments or reduced power bills. The programs involving AI activity in data centers is generally new, and details of the commercial arrangements between Google and the utilities were not clear. While demand-response agreements apply only to a small portion of demand on the grid, the arrangements might become more common as U.S. electricity supply tightens.
