Overview
- Google announced new controls that separate Search Services History from Personalized Recommendations and introduce matching Play history and personalization settings.
- The Search Services History now explicitly includes saved media such as images, files, audio and video from Lens, Translate, Search Live and other Search services.
- Accounts that had Web & App Activity enabled will see Search Services History and the Save Media option switched on automatically after the rollout.
- Users can turn off Save Media and delete items via My Activity, but Google warns that media used to train models may be disconnected from accounts and retained for up to four years.
- Privacy groups and reporters say the change shifts the burden onto users to opt out, and they note Google frames the update as convenience while also using the data to improve products and AI models.