You can now permanently delete your location history, and web and app activity data on Google

• Keep until I delete manually
• Keep for 18 months, then delete automatically
• Keep for 3 months, then delete automatically

Based on the option chosen, any data older than that will be automatically deleted from your account on an ongoing basis. Surprisingly, Google still does not have an option that says 'don't track me' or 'automatically delete after I close website', which would ensure 100 percent data privacy and security for users.

Source: Google Blog

Enabling privacy has not been one of Google’s strongholds in recent times.

Last year, Google was caught in a scandal which allowed Google to track a person’s location history in incognito mode, even when they had turned it off.

In November last year, Google came under scrutiny by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). They published a report stating that Google is using various methods to encourage users to enable the settings ‘location history’ and ‘web and app activity’ which are integrated into all Google user accounts. They allege that Google is using these features to facilitate targeted advertising.

“These practices are not compliant with GDPR, as Google lacks a valid legal ground for processing the data in question. In particular, the report shows that users’ consent provided under these circumstances is not freely given,” BEUC, speaking on behalf of the countries’ consumer groups, said.

Google was also found helping the police use Google’s location database to catch potential crime suspects, and sometimes capturing innocent people in the process, per a recent New York Times investigation.

The new feature will be rolled out in the coming weeks for location history and for web and app activity data. It is likely to be incorporated in data history as well, but it has not been officially confirmed. To enable this privacy feature, visit your Google account activity controls.

European Consumer groups accuse Google of tracking its users’ location, calls it a breach of GDPR.

Google’s incognito location tracking scandal could be the first real test of GDPR

Google’s Sidewalk Lab smart city project threatens privacy and human rights: Amnesty Intl, CA says.