Google reveals files it keeps on your web habits

Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Correspondent
05.11.09

Google has launched a site revealing just what it knows about you.

Called Google Dashboard, it allows users to see data such as their search history, emails and blogs.

They can even see every search they have made on the site, complete with the exact time and date.

The search giant said the dashboard was designed to give people "greater transparency and control" over personal account data stored by Google.

"You can see in one place a summary of the data in all the Google products you use," it said. "You can also manage this data and change settings easily."

Google has come under fire from privacy experts, who say the firm stores too much data on its users. The firm has also been criticised for its Street view service, which takes 360-degree pictures of roads.

Alma Whitten, software engineer on privacy and safety at Google, said: "We think of this as a great step towards giving people transparency and control over their data, and we hope this helps shape the way the industry thinks about these issues."

The new site is now available at www.google.com/dashboard

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