YouTube is added to the list of Google applications that can automatically delete your browsing history after a predefined period. Until now, only Google’s location and search history have been compatible.
Google continues to strengthen the privacy options for its applications. The firm announced today that it has extended the automatic deletion of activity history to YouTube . At the same time, the Incognito mode of Google Maps announced for a few weeks is officially available. Thanks to these new options, users have different levers to better manage their privacy.
How to automatically delete YouTube video history
The option is not directly integrated into the YouTube app . To automatically delete your history, you must log into the “My Google Activity” area from a web browser on PC or smartphone:
- Go directly to the configuration page by clicking on this link
- Then click on the Manage activities option and then on Choose to delete automatically
- A popup opens with three options: “keep until I delete the data manually”, “keep for 18 months” or “Keep for 3 months”.
- Click Next then Ok and voila.
As you can see, it is not possible to choose a frequency less than 3 months. It’s the same for automatic deletion of web history and location . There is still a good margin, hoping that Google will eventually offer a period of one week, even 24 hours for automatic deletion on a daily basis. Alternatively, those who wish can also activate YouTube’s Incognito mode on their smartphones . This practical option, once activated, simply does not keep the search history or that of the videos viewed.
For those who want total discretion, this possibility offers it immediately and can also be activated on an ad hoc basis, only when needed.