Google explains its handling of user data ahead of GDPR and reveals new privacy policy

There's now just two weeks until the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law comes into force across Europe. Technology companies have been scrabbling to update their privacy policies in order to comply, and today Google reveals the steps it has taken to become compliant.

In addition to this, the company has also published its updated privacy policy. In keeping with GDPR, this time around the terms are presented in a much more accessible and transparent form.

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Google explains that: "We're updating our current Privacy Policy to make it easier to understand what information we collect, and why we collect it. We've improved the navigation and organization of the policy to make it easier to find what you’re looking for." The company goes on to say that as well as text, its policy now includes illustrations and videos to help to better convey information to people.

Importantly, Google says that it has "made it easier to jump to your privacy settings directly from the policy, helping you make choices about your privacy." Clearly eager to be seen to be doing not only what is required of it by GDPR, but to be going beyond it.

You can read through Google's full explanation of its GDPR compliance in its blog post, where the company also talks about data portability, improved user controls, and parental controls. But while the privacy policy has been updated, Google points out that there are no material changes to be concerned about:

Although we're taking these steps to make our Privacy Policy easier to understand, it's important to note that nothing is changing about your current settings or how your information is processed. You'll continue to have granular control over the data you share with us when you use our services, but with clearer explanations.

In an attempt to allay fears about what Google collects from users and why, the company has created a short video that gives a brief explanation:

You can check out the updated Privacy Policy here.

Image credit: GrAl / Shutterstock