Google Privacy Checkup Lab: Weigh Each Setting
A privacy checkup full of switches and a friend who says turn it all off. Decide what to do about saved activity, auto-delete, location, ads, your public profile, Gemini and downloading your data, and see what each choice gives up. Prefer to read first? Start with the Google Privacy Checkup guide.
You are Priya Raman. After reading a story about how much data apps keep, you decide to run a Google Privacy Checkup. Jonas says to turn everything off, and your sister says to leave it all as it is. Across 11 decisions you work through saved activity, auto-delete, location, ads, what others can see, Gemini, Chrome and downloading your data, and see what each choice gives up. Everything here is fictional. Each call is scored 0 to 10, with the reason based on Google's own help pages. Menu names change over time, so Google's pages stay the final word.
This is the guided version: a yellow flash shows where to click and a bar says what to do. Switch to Free play any time.
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TL;DRWhat this lab is
5 points
- A scenario lab: a fictional person runs a Google Privacy Checkup and has to decide what to keep saved, what to delete and what to share.
- You make 11 scored decisions: how to start, My Activity, auto-delete, YouTube history, Timeline and location, ads, the About me profile, Gemini activity, Chrome Incognito, downloading your data and keeping the habit going.
- The reasoning follows Google's own help pages. Menu names change over time, so the official pages stay the final word.
- Free to play. You get a final score and grade, a shareable scorecard and next-step links. A downloadable debrief is available with a paid plan.
- Defensive and educational only. Every person and app is fictional and no real accounts or links appear. Account security such as devices and 2-Step Verification is a separate checkup.
Frequently asked questions
Is this connected to my real Google Account?
No. The people and the app are fictional. Nothing connects to Google, and nothing you choose changes a real setting.
Where does the advice come from?
From Google's own help pages on Privacy Checkup, deleting activity, YouTube history, Maps Timeline, My Ad Center, About me, Gemini Apps activity, Chrome Incognito and Takeout. The blog guide links each page.
Does it cover account security like 2-Step Verification?
No. This lab is about privacy: what is saved and who sees it. Securing sign-in is a separate checkup with its own lab.
Is turning everything off the best score?
Not automatically. Turning history off usually means less personalised results, and the lab scores choices made on purpose with the trade-off understood.
How is it scored?
Each decision scores 0 to 10 and the final score is the share of the maximum. Every answer comes with a short reason, so you learn why a choice helps or hurts.
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