Google clarifies tracking users even with location data turned off

Google has revised the wording on its Location History Help Page after facing criticism over reports that some of its services continued to record users’ location information even when they had disabled location tracking.

The technology giant changed the language on its help page to make it clearer that turning off Location History does not necessarily prevent all Google services from collecting or storing location-related information.

Previously, the page stated that when Location History was turned off, “the places you go are no longer stored.” The revised explanation now says the setting does not affect other location services on a device, including Google Location Services and Find My Device.

It also warns that some location data may be saved as part of a user’s activity on other Google services, including Search and Maps.

The revised wording effectively acknowledges that disabling Location History alone does not stop all location-related data collection across Google’s ecosystem.

“We have been updating the explanatory language about Location History to make it more consistent and clear across our platforms and help centres,” a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying by CNET.

The change followed an investigation by The Associated Press, which reported that several Google services on Android devices and iPhones continued to store users’ location information even after they had used a privacy setting intended to prevent such tracking.

Researchers at Princeton University subsequently confirmed the findings, adding weight to concerns about how Google’s privacy controls operated in practice.

Google had earlier defended its practices, saying Location History was an opt-in feature and that users could edit, delete or disable it whenever they wished.

The company also explained that disabling Location History did not prevent Google from using location information for certain purposes, such as improving search results or providing driving directions.

The issue therefore highlighted an important distinction between Location History and Google’s separate Web & App Activity setting. Users who wanted to limit the storage of location-linked activity also needed to review and potentially pause Web & App Activity in their Google account settings.

However, even pausing that setting did not necessarily mean that all information was immediately discarded. Google’s Activity Controls page stated that the company could temporarily use information from recent searches to improve the quality of an active search session.

The controversy raised broader questions about whether privacy settings should be easier for users to understand, particularly when multiple controls govern different types of data collection.

For users, the episode served as a reminder that switching off a single location-related setting may not provide complete control over location data. Reviewing Google’s individual Activity Controls and privacy settings is therefore important for anyone seeking to minimise the amount of location-linked information stored by the company.