Google announces Account Activity, so you can track your Googling too

Consumer Reports News: March 28, 2012 03:38 PM

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Earlier this month, Google launched a new approach to its user policy, in which it links data from all the Google accounts that you sign in to use—and launched a firestorm of privacy concerns as well. Perhaps at least partially as a attempt to reassure worried users, the company today announced a new feature called Account Activity: Sign up and you'll receive a monthly report that shows exactly how you're using Google services that require you to log in, such as Gmail and Google Latitude.

In the company's blog post, it explained that the password-protected report will chronicle such activities as locations where you've logged into your Google accounts, whether you've added any application-specific passwords, how many e-mails you've sent and received, what terms you've searched, and more. The post also suggests that Account Activity can help you spot whether someone unauthorized is accessing any of your accounts.

In case you were wondering how much and what kind of information Google is collecting about you, this report can also handily spell that out. Note that Account Activity is opt-in, so you need to sign up to receive it.

Privacy advocates have expressed concern about Google's new unified user policy. Said Ioana Rusu, regulatory counsel for Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports:

Google claims this move will make life easier for consumers. But in truth, it will allow Google to better target you with ads tailored to your perceived preferences and interests. Detailed data about your activities across Google's numerous sites and services represents an advertising gold mine and allows Google to personalize content you see based on your Gmail conversations or your YouTube views.

See Consumer Reports' Guide to Online Security for more tips on protecting your privacy and safety on the Web.

—Carol Mangis