computing Computing is any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or creating computer, computing machinery. It includes the study and experimentation of algorithmic processes, and the development of both computer hardware, hardware and softw ...

, Google Dashboard lets users of the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

view and manage personal data collected about them by

Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...

. With an account, Google Dashboard allows users to have a summary view of their

Google+ Google+ (sometimes written as Google Plus, stylized as G+ or g+) was a Social networking service, social network owned and operated by Google until it ceased operations in 2019. The network was launched on June 28, 2011, in an attempt to challe ...

, Google location history, Google web history,

Google Play Google Play, also known as the Google Play Store, Play Store, or sometimes the Android Store (and was formerly Android Market), is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google. It serves as the official app store for certifie ...

apps,

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

and more. Once logged in, it summarizes data for each product the user uses and provides direct links to the products. The program allows setting preferences for personal account products. The only information that is shared with Google Dashboard is information generated while one is logged into an account. All data in Dashboard is considered private unless settings are changed. Google allows the user control of all the information that they provide and allows the data submitted to be purged from each app. Two step verification, web history, location history, and preferences are available for all applications.

Usage

To access, users sign into a Google account with

username A user is a person who uses a computer or Computer network, network Service (systems architecture), service. A user often has a user account and is identified to the system by a username (or user name). Some software products provide serv ...

and

password A password, sometimes called a passcode, is secret data, typically a string of characters, usually used to confirm a user's identity. Traditionally, passwords were expected to be memorized, but the large number of password-protected services t ...

. Once signed in, select Google account settings option in top right corner of the

web page A web page (or webpage) is a World Wide Web, Web document that is accessed in a web browser. A website typically consists of many web pages hyperlink, linked together under a common domain name. The term "web page" is therefore a metaphor of pap ...

and then click on the Dashboard link titled View data stored with the account. After verifying account password, users can view Dashboard organized according to the products of use. From Dashboard, users will also be able to view data associated with the account. Some applications link to new sections, while other settings stay within the page. The user also has access, from the dashboard, to special settings. Two-step verification is an example of this, which requires a verification code to be entered that is sent to the user's phone when logging into a new machine and every-time cookies are cleaned.

Purpose

Privacy and convenience

The main purpose of Google Dashboard is to provide a central place for people to see what data has been collected about them. Google Dashboard also provides users with a way to manage their account for each service they use. Links are located next to each service, meaning that if a user wanted to manage their Gmail account, a direct link to their account management page will be located in their Google Dashboard. Using that link will enable users to manage their privacy settings or sharing options on the video site. Google Dashboard enables users to gain access to the company's most often used services, such as Google+,

Google search Google Search (also known simply as Google or Google.com) is a search engine operated by Google. It allows users to search for information on the World Wide Web, Web by entering keywords or phrases. Google Search uses algorithms to analyze an ...

Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panorama, interactive panoramic views of streets (Google Street View, Street View ...

and many more. These items are all supported by Dashboard and as the user scroll through them, Dashboard displays all the account settings for each service and any recent activity. For example, Dashboard will show appointments on the Google Calendar, messages in the Gmail inbox, recently shared or viewed documents from Google Docs, and status in

Google Chat Google Chat is a Communication software, communication service developed by Google. Initially designed for teams and business environments, it has since been made available for general consumers. It provides Private message, direct messaging, ...

, among other updates. If a user is uncomfortable with the presence of their Google web history, they can remove specific items or clear the entire history using their Google Dashboard. Every service listed in a user's Dashboard also includes a link to that service's privacy policies.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Google Dashboard

Dashboard A dashboard (also called dash, instrument panel or IP, or fascia) is a control panel (engineering), control panel set within the central console of a vehicle, boat, or cockpit of an aircraft or spacecraft. Usually located directly ahead of the ...