Your data on Google
Location
By using location information, we can make our products more useful for you. But, because we know this is sensitive information, we are careful to use it responsibly.
My Location in Google Maps
In Google Maps on both your mobile and desktop, you’ll find a feature called My Location that shows your location on the map. This saves you time and helps you to find out exactly where you are, what’s around you and how to get from point A to B. On desktop, Google Maps obtains your location from your web browser, through its geolocation feature; on mobile, Google Maps obtains your location through the device. To find out about this, see the Google Maps Help Center and your browser’s geolocation documentation.
The first time you use My Location, you’ll be asked whether you want to give Google permission to use your location. Using My Location doesn’t tell us who you are, and while we collect and store some basic information in the process (that an unknown user is in an approximate location at a certain time), we never keep personally identifiable information. You can choose to set your location manually, so it doesn’t always have to be automatic. And just so you know, we only store the last location sent to Google Latitude in your Google Account, unless you opt in to Location History. If you turn off Google Latitude or use the Latitude features known as “hiding,” we don’t store your locations at all.
Location across Google products
Learn more about how Google uses your location across all our services in our Help Center.
It’s good to know how Google uses location information to make our products more useful. Read the next topic: Privacy features in other Google products