Google Privacy Policy

20150501_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20140801_rev01 · ARCHIVE SNAPSHOT, DATE APPROXIMATE

Full text changes — 20140801_rev01 to 20150501_rev01

99- The choices we offer, including how to access and update information.
1010
1111We've tried to keep it as simple as possible, but if you're not familiar with terms like cookies, IP addresses, pixel tags and browsers, then read about these [key terms](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/) first. Your privacy matters to Google so whether you are new to Google or a long-time user, please do take the time to get to know our practices - and if you have any questions [consult this page](http://support.google.com/policies/troubleshooter/2990837).
1212
1313## Information we collect
1414
15We collect information to provide better services to all of our users - from figuring out basic stuff like which language you speak, to more complex things like which [ads you'll find most useful](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/ads-youll-find-most-useful.html) or [the people who matter most to you online](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/the-people-who-matter-most.html).
15We collect information to provide better services to all of our users - from figuring out basic stuff like which language you speak, to more complex things like which [ads you'll find most useful](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/ads-youll-find-most-useful.html), [the people who matter most to you online](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/the-people-who-matter-most.html), or which YouTube videos you might like.
1616
1717We collect information in two ways:
1818
1919- **Information you give us.** For example, many of our services require you to sign up for a Google Account. When you do, we'll ask for [personal information](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/), like your name, email address, telephone number or [credit card](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/credit-card.html). If you want to take full advantage of the sharing features we offer, we might also ask you to create a publicly visible [Google Profile](http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/answer.py), which may include your name and photo.
2020
21- **Information we get from your use of our services.** We may [collect information](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/collect-information.html) about the services that you use and how you use them, like when you visit a website that uses our advertising services or you [view and interact with our ads](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/view-and-interact-with-our-ads.html) and content. This information includes:
21- **Information we get from your use of our services.** We [collect information](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/collect-information.html) about the services that you use and how you use them, like when you watch a video on YouTube, visit a website that uses our advertising services, or you [view and interact with our ads](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/view-and-interact-with-our-ads.html) and content. This information includes:
2222
2323 - **[Device information](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/)**
2424
25 We may collect [device-specific information](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/device-specific-information.html) (such as your hardware model, operating system version, [unique device identifiers](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/), and mobile network information including phone number). Google may associate your [device identifiers](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/device-identifiers.html) or [phone number](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/phone-number.html) with your Google Account.
25 We collect [device-specific information](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/device-specific-information.html) (such as your hardware model, operating system version, [unique device identifiers](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/), and mobile network information including phone number). Google may associate your [device identifiers](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/device-identifiers.html) or [phone number](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/phone-number.html) with your Google Account.
2626
2727 - **Log information**
2828
29 When you use our services or view content provided by Google, we may automatically collect and store certain information in [server logs](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/). This may include:
29 When you use our services or view content provided by Google, we automatically collect and store certain information in [server logs](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/). This includes:
3030
3131 - details of how you used our service, such as your search queries.
3232 - telephony log information like your phone number, calling-party number, forwarding numbers, time and date of calls, duration of calls, SMS routing information and types of calls.
3333 - [Internet protocol address](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/).
3434 - device event information such as crashes, system activity, hardware settings, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request and referral URL.
3535 - cookies that may uniquely identify your browser or your Google Account.
3636 - **Location information**
3737
38 When you use a location-enabled Google service, we [may collect and process information about your actual location](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/may-collect-and-process-information.html), like GPS signals sent by a mobile device. We may also use various technologies to determine location, such as sensor data from your device that may, for example, provide information on nearby Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.
38 When you use Google services, we [may collect and process information about your actual location](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/may-collect-and-process-information.html). We use various technologies to determine location, including IP address, GPS, [and other sensors](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/sensors.html) that may, for example, provide Google with information on nearby devices, [Wi-Fi access points and cell towers](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/wifi-access-points-and-cell-towers.html).
3939
4040 - **Unique application numbers**
4141
4242 Certain services include a unique application number. This number and information about your installation (for example, the operating system type and application version number) may be sent to Google when you install or uninstall that service or when that service periodically contacts our servers, such as for automatic updates.
4343
4444 - **Local storage**
4545
4646 We may collect and store information (including personal information) locally on your device using mechanisms such as [browser web storage](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/) (including HTML 5) and [application data caches](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/).
4747
4848 - **Cookies and anonymous identifiers**
4949
50 We and our partners use various technologies to collect and store information when you visit a Google service, and this may include sending one or more [cookies](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/) or [anonymous identifiers](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/) to your device. We also use cookies and anonymous identifiers when you interact with services we offer to our partners, such as [advertising services](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/advertising-services.html) or Google features that may appear on other sites.
50 We [and our partners](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/our-partners.html) use various technologies to collect and store information when you visit a Google service, and this may include sending one or more [cookies](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/) or [anonymous identifiers](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/key-terms/) to your device. We also use cookies and anonymous identifiers when you interact with services we offer to our partners, such as [advertising services](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/advertising-services.html) or Google features that may appear on other sites. Our Google Analytics product helps businesses and site owners analyze the traffic to their websites and apps. When used in conjunction with our advertising services, such as those using the DoubleClick cookie, Google Analytics information is [linked, using Google technology, with information about visits to multiple sites](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/linked-with-information-about-visits-to-multiple-sites.html).
5151
5252## How we use information we collect
5353
5454We use the information we collect from all of our services to provide, maintain, protect and improve them, to [develop new ones](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/develop-new-ones.html), and to [protect Google and our users](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/protect-google-and-our-users.html). We also use this information to offer you tailored content - like giving you more relevant search results and ads.
5555
5656We may use the name you provide for your Google Profile across all of the services we offer that require a Google Account. In addition, we may replace past names associated with your Google Account so that you are represented consistently across all our services. If other users already have your email, or other information that identifies you, we may show them your publicly visible Google Profile information, such as your name and photo.
5757
58When you contact Google, we may keep a record of your communication to help solve any issues you might be facing. We may use your email address to inform you about our services, such as letting you know about upcoming changes or improvements.
58If you have a Google Account, we may display your Profile name, Profile photo, and actions you take on Google or on third-party applications connected to your Google Account (such as +1's, reviews you write and comments you post) in our services, including displaying in ads and other commercial contexts. We will respect the choices you make to [limit sharing or visibility settings](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/limit-sharing-or-visibility-settings.html) in your Google Account.
5959
60When you contact Google, we keep a record of your communication to help solve any issues you might be facing. We may use your email address to inform you about our services, such as letting you know about upcoming changes or improvements.
61
62Our automated systems analyze your content (including emails) to provide you personally relevant product features, such as customized search results, tailored advertising, and spam and malware detection.
63
6064We may [combine personal information from one service with information, including personal information, from other Google services](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/combine-personal-information.html) - for example . We will not combine DoubleClick cookie information with personally identifiable information unless we have your opt-in consent.
6165
6266We will ask for your consent before using information for a purpose other than those that are set out in this Privacy Policy.
6367
6468Google processes personal information on our servers in many countries around the world. We may process your personal information on a server located outside the country where you live.
6569
6670## Transparency and choice
6771
6872People have different privacy concerns. Our goal is to be clear about what information we collect, so that you can make meaningful choices about how it is used. For example, you can:
6973
74- [Visit your Google Account History](https://www.google.com/settings/accounthistory) for settings that allow you to control the collection of personal information from Google services, such as Search, YouTube and Location History.
7075- [Review and control](https://www.google.com/dashboard/) certain types of information tied to your Google Account by using Google Dashboard.
71- [View and edit](https://www.google.com/settings/ads/preferences) your preferences about the ads shown to you on Google and across the web, such as which categories might interest you, using Ads Settings. You can also opt out of certain Google advertising services here.
72- [Use our editor](http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/answer.py) to see and adjust how your Google Profile appears to particular individuals.
73- [Control](http://support.google.com/plus/bin/static.py) who you share information with.
74- [Take information](http://www.dataliberation.org/) out of many of our services.
76- [View and edit](https://www.google.com/settings/ads/preferences) your preferences about the Google ads shown to you on Google and across the web, such as which categories might interest you, using Ads Settings. You can also opt out of certain Google advertising services here.
77- [Adjust](https://support.google.com/plus/answer/1355890) how the Profile associated with your Google Account appears to others.
78- [Control](http://support.google.com/plus/bin/static.py) who you share information with through your Google Account.
79- [Take information](http://www.dataliberation.org/) associated with your Google Account out of many of our services.
80- [Choose](https://plus.google.com/settings/endorsements) whether your Profile name and Profile photo appear in shared endorsements that appear in ads.
7581
7682You may also set your browser to block all cookies, including cookies associated with our services, or to indicate when a cookie is being set by us. However, it's important to remember that many of our services [may not function properly](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/may-not-function-properly.html) if your cookies are disabled. For example, we may not remember your language preferences.
7783
7884## Information you share
7985
8086Many of our services let you share information with others. Remember that when you share information publicly, it may be indexable by search engines, including Google. Our services provide you with different options on [sharing](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/sharing.html) and [removing your content](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/example/removing-your-content.html).
133139- We offer you [two step verification](https://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/2step/) when you access your Google Account, and a [Safe Browsing feature](http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/more/security.html) in Google Chrome.
134140- We review our information collection, storage and processing practices, including physical security measures, to guard against unauthorized access to systems.
135141- We restrict access to personal information to Google employees, contractors and agents who need to know that information in order to process it for us, and who are subject to strict contractual confidentiality obligations and may be disciplined or terminated if they fail to meet these obligations.
136142
137143## When this Privacy Policy applies
138144
139Our Privacy Policy applies to all of the services offered by Google Inc. and its affiliates, including services offered on other sites (such as our advertising services), but excludes services that have separate privacy policies that do not incorporate this Privacy Policy.
145Our Privacy Policy applies to all of the services offered by Google Inc. and its affiliates, including YouTube, and services offered on other sites (such as our advertising services), but excludes services that have separate privacy policies that do not incorporate this Privacy Policy.
140146
141147Our Privacy Policy does not apply to services offered by other companies or individuals, including products or sites that may be displayed to you in search results, sites that may include Google services, or other sites linked from our services. Our Privacy Policy does not cover the information practices of other companies and organizations who advertise our services, and who may use cookies, pixel tags and other technologies to serve and offer relevant ads.
142148
143149## Compliance and cooperation with regulatory authorities
144150
145151We regularly review our compliance with our Privacy Policy. We also adhere to several [self regulatory frameworks](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/frameworks/). When we receive formal written complaints, we will contact the person who made the complaint to follow up. We work with the appropriate regulatory authorities, including local data protection authorities, to resolve any complaints regarding the transfer of personal data that we cannot resolve with our users directly.
154160
155161- [Chrome and Chrome OS](http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/privacy.html)
156162- [Books](http://books.google.com/intl/en/googlebooks/privacy.html)
157163- [Wallet](http://wallet.google.com/files/privacy.html)
158164- [Fiber](https://fiber.google.com/legal/privacy.html)
159165
166For more information about some of our most popular services, you can visit the [Google Product Privacy Guide](https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/product-privacy/).
167
160168Further useful privacy and security related materials can be found through Google's [policies and principles pages](https://www.google.com/policies/), including:
161169
162170- Information about our [technologies and principles](https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/), which includes, among other things, more information on
163171 - [how Google uses cookies](https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/cookies/).
164172 - technologies we use for [advertising](https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/).
165173 - how we [recognize patterns like faces](https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/pattern-recognition/).