Privacy concerns in new Google Play personalization

Google is introducing new Google Play personalization options, which are expected to give users more control over their preferences and offer tailored recommendations. Good news, but are there privacy concerns to consider in these new personalization options? Google promises respect for users’ privacy, but it is prudent some underlying privacy risks are highlighted for your attention.

Google gathers much information about your behaviour, preferences, and app usage to tailor your Play Store experience. The new Google Play personalization options should give users more control over how their data is utilized. However, the requirement for these protections highlights how much data Google gathers and uses.

Here are some of the privacy concerns that users should be aware of, as the new Google Play personalization options are set to be launched soon:

1. Extensive data collection

Google monitors several elements of your app activity, including installation, usage trends, in-app purchases, and even the length of time you spend using particular features. Even though it helps with customization, this extensive data collection might feel intrusive. Users may feel uneasy and under continual surveillance since they frequently lack visibility into the whole scope of the data being collected.

2. Potential misuse of users’ data

The likelihood that data will be utilized in ways that consumers did not previously consent to increases with the volume of data. This can involve exchanging data with unaffiliated third parties to display tailored advertisements that appear invasive and unwanted. Despite the anonymization of data, the sheer amount of information gathered may still be utilized to create comprehensive user profiles.

3. Security risks

Cybercriminals find users more appealing targets the more data they keep about them. Should this data be compromised, it may result in fraud, identity theft, or other criminal acts. There might be dire repercussions for user privacy if Google’s data is managed improperly, whether through internal leaks or intrusions by other parties.

4. Limited user controls

Although the new Google Play personalization options are set to provide greater customization options, the experience might not be as liberating as it seems. These options are frequently tucked away in settings menus, making it challenging to locate and access them. Users may not be able to completely stop monitoring even if they want to opt out of some forms of data collecting. Certain data may still be gathered in the name of “improving service” or “security enhancements.”