How to turn off your search and location history in Google

By now, it should come as no surprise that Google keeps track of your search and location history.

But you may be surprised to find out just how detailed that history that is. Google not only lets you view your past search history, you can now get a detailed look at just about every place you've ever visited. These settings are enabled by default, but they don't have to be.

While the thought of Google quietly recording your every search — whether it's on Maps, YouTube or its search engine — can be disconcerting, there are reasons why it's useful to keep these settings enabled. For example, it helps Google offer up better recommendations (and, yes, more targeted ads). Plus, if you're a Google Now user, it can help make recommendations more personalized. Nevertheless, if you want to erase your Google footprint, here's how to do it. Read more...