Google Location History

[Norkie]

Hi guys, help please

I have this mail item from Google:

Location History is paused for your account, and you haven’t had any new Location History in more than 5 years.​

Any existing Location History that you have in your account will be deleted on 1 April 2022.​

Here’s what you can do before 1 April 2022:​

Keep this data in your account by turning on Location History in Activity controls Download a copy of this data before it’s deleted on 1 April 2022 About Location History​ It’s a Google Account setting that lets you save where you go with your devices, even when you aren't using a specific Google service. Location History can be used to give you things such as:​ Timeline, a private map of your visited places and routes Suggested destinations on Google Maps and Android Auto More useful ads on Google and other places where Google ads may appear, such as websites or apps

Can someone explain what it actually is please?

Do I need to 'turn it on/off?'

Thank you.

 

[TCR4x4]

If you have a device such as a phone or tablet with google services installed, you can choose to have it track you and where you visit.
This provides you with a detailed timeline of where you’ve been (useful for revisiting places, tracking mileage for business use etc). It also allows google to serve ads relevant to your location, ie a restaurant near by or a tourist attraction.
As you’ve not been using it in over 5 years, it would seem like it’s not something you will miss, so just ignore the email and let it delete your history.

 

[JonathanRyan]

If I go to Google maps (the webpage) and click the 3 buttons on the left, there's a thing that says "my timeline". This will show me every place I've ever been (with a powered up device which knows my Google account). It's kind of cool. For example, there's a dot showing that I went to Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome on 31st March 2017 and that the same evening I went on a walking tour of Rome.

Yours won't because it's turned off. Which is less cool. Turn it on if you want to be cooler

I bet they use it to sell you stuff too.

 

[Norkie]

Thanks guys, I did read the help Google page, but you have been more helpful

I understand the targeted ads function, makes sense. I may turn it on for fun, just out of curiosity.

Thanks again.

 

[andrewc]

Whilst some people have some concerns about Google knowing your exact movements, I used it to get me out of a parking ticket. I'd been to Sainsburys in the morning one day to fill up with petrol, and in the evening went to do the weekly shop. I few weeks later I received a parking charge as apparently I had been there all day, and Googles location timeline was part of my claim to say when I had left, when I had retured and where i'd been the rest of the day. They could then look on their cctv for my car arriving and departing. The claim was dropped.