During I/O 2023, Google announced several security updates and enhanced protection and privacy for consumer-facing products. In a context of increasingly frequent cyber attacks, Google has decided to use the advances offered by artificial intelligence to improve user safety and implement new protective measures to protect personal information, both in its products and when browsing online.
The new “Safe Browsing” feature
In early May, for example, Google began allowing access to its platform via passkey, simplifying and making it more secure how to access a Google account on all devices. The new “Safe Browsing” function, instead, it uses AI to identify and warn users of dangerous sites and files, preventing fraud before it can happen.
SPAM FOLDER IN DRIVE
Google also announced that it has further expanded the spam protections in Google Drive introducing a new view that makes it easier to sort and examine files, decide what might be considered spam, and stay safe from potentially unwanted or illegal content.
Google Drive will automatically classify content in view spam the same way as Gmail. Of course, you can always manually tag any Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, and Forms files as well. After 30 days in the spam folder, the content will be permanently removed. This new implementation it will be immediately available on personal accounts and will also come to Workspace in the future.
SCAN MAILS IN THE DARK WEB
Since last March, US subscribers to Google One have had the option to scan the dark web, a hard-to-reach part of the Internet that requires a specialized browser to access and is not indexed by search engines, to check for personal information – name, address, email, phone number and the tax code – in some data leakage and possibly receiving indications on the actions to be taken to protect oneself
Crawling the dark web in other countries as well
In addition to showing results matching the personal information you add to your tracking profile, the “Dark Web Report” will also show other related information that can be found in those data breaches. The information contained in the tracking profile is managed in accordance with Google’s privacy policies and the user can delete any information from his profile or stop tracking at any time.
This possibility, Google said, will now be extended to a greater number of countries even if no further indications have been provided for now
MAPS HISTORY
Google also announced the implementation of a new way to delete your search history in Google Maps. Currently, you can delete all your Maps search history from “Web & App Activity”. To make it even easier and more immediate, Google is introducing the ability to delete recent searches directly from Maps, with a single tap.
ANDROID 14: MORE TRANSPARENCY
As for Android 14 (of which the beta 2 has been available for a few hours), Google has announced updates for improve transparency on the use of user data by apps. Starting with location data, users will get a warning in permission requests when an app shares information with third parties for advertising purposes. A sort of Apple App Tracking Transparency. Users can then decide whether approve or deny location sharing for each appso you’re always in control.
Finally, Google is also adding a new area “Delete data” within the “Data Security” section of an app in Google Play, facilitating requests to delete your user account or other data.