Google will automatically remove ‘sensitive locations’ from location history

Google to remove visits to ‘sensitive medical facilities’ from Android users’ location history. It will do that ‘soon after the visits’. An example of this are abortion clinics.

The full list of examples that Google flags as ‘sensitive locations’ are ‘counselling centers, domestic violence shelters, abortion clinics, fertility centers, addiction treatment facilities, weight loss clinics, cosmetic surgery clinics, and more’. Google will actually implement this change in the coming weeks. It does not expressly state whether this change will affect users in specific regions or worldwide.

The reason for the change in location history is undoubtedly the situation surrounding abortion in the United States. This medical procedure is now banned in some states. Based on that reasoning, it could be that the change will apply only or first to the US. On the other hand, there is also a need for privacy around these types of visits outside the US.

Google’s location history feature is turned off by default, according to the company. Anyone who turns it on and has an Android smartphone with location determination on will see that his travel behavior is recorded and can be viewed in Google Maps. Google also underlines that it is committed to the privacy of its users when authorities ask for data, but that it can also be obliged to cooperate via a court order.

Because of the energy saving, the polling rate is so low that some dead straight lines are drawn, but usually the function records all visited places