ZDNET Journalist Urges 10 Google Maps Setting Changes to Cut Tracking on New Phones
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · May 14
ZDNET Journalist Urges 10 Google Maps Setting Changes to Cut Tracking on New Phones
3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · May 14
10 Google Maps settings should be changed on a new phone, a ZDNET journalist says, with the top privacy moves being turning off Timeline, Web and App Activity, personalized recommendations, Maps history and ad personalization.
Incognito Mode is presented as the lighter-touch option for temporary privacy, while disabling selected notifications is recommended to reduce alerts without affecting core navigation.
Offline map auto-updates, speedometer and speed-limit displays, fuel-efficient routing, engine-type setup, media playback controls and louder voice guidance are the main usability features the article says to enable right away.
Google Maps still works normally after Timeline is disabled, the report says, framing the checklist as a way to keep navigation benefits while limiting how much location and search behavior feed Google's broader data profile.
What critical navigation features do you unknowingly lose when you enable every privacy setting on Google Maps?
As Google Maps' new AI curates your world, how can you verify its suggestions are authentic and not just ads?