Google unveils new security, privacy features for Android

Google on Thursday rolled out new Google Account features for Android users designed to bolster security and make it easier for users to manage their privacy settings. 

The new settings build on the “Security Checkup” introduced last fall by offering personalized recommendations designed to help users improve the security of their accounts; for example, users could be reminded to remove unverified applications allowed to access their account data.

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Google is also introducing a new search function that lets users more easily find account information and change settings, such as changing one’s password, in addition to a dedicated support section to help users make changes to their settings.  

The technology giant is also rolling out new privacy options “to help you better understand and take control of your Google Account.”

The company, for instance, says it is making it easier for users to find activity control settings under the “Data & Personalization” tab, where they can identify what data on their activity is saved on their account.

Tech companies like Facebook and Google have faced heightened scrutiny over data privacy for several months, following revelations about Cambridge Analytica improperly accessing data on some 87 million Facebook users.

These companies have also been forced to adjust their policies to prepare for a sweeping new data protection and privacy law in Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which went into effect in late May.

“We are committed to providing you with the controls you need to choose what’s right for you. For years, we’ve built and refined tools to help you easily understand, protect, and control your information,” Jan Hannemann, product manager for Google Account, wrote Thursday in a blog post.

“As needs around security and privacy evolve, we will continue to improve these important tools to help you control how Google works for you,” Hannemann wrote. 

The new settings are immediately available for Android users and will be launched on Apple’s iOS and on the web later this year, the company said.