Google to delete location history data for abortion clinic visits

Search engine Google has decided to delete users’ location history when they visit abortion clinics, domestic violence shelters and other places where privacy is sought.The particular update comes days after the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion and legalized it nationwide, handing a momentous victory to Republicans and religious conservatives who want to limit or ban the procedure. Google said that for Google Fit and Fitbit, it gives users settings and tools to easily access and control their personal data, including the option to change and delete personal information at any time. “We’re committed to delivering robust privacy protections for people who use our products, and we will continue to look for new ways to strengthen and improve these protections,” Jen Fitzpatrick, a Google senior vice president, wrote in the blog post.

Last week, Google announced in a blog post that it would remove location history data about some “particularly personal” places from a Google account shortly after someone visits, TechCrunch reported.Locations that will have their data deleted include “medical facilities like counseling centers, domestic violence shelters, abortion clinics, fertility centers, addiction treatment facilities, weight loss clinics, cosmetic surgery clinics, and others,” according to the blog. Google also noted that Fitbit users who use the device’s companion software as a period tracker currently must delete those entries one by one, but an easier way to “delete multiple logs at once” is on the way. The change to location history will go into effect in the next few weeks.Facebook and Instagram immediately removed such posts.