Google debuts new privacy tools

Google debuted new privacy tools on Monday, part of an ongoing effort to convince consumers that their data is safe with the Web giant.

A new page will act as a central location for users to understand and control how their data is being used across Google’s many widely used services.

{mosads}From there, users will be able to see how programs like Google Maps and search use their data — including their Web history and location — and calibrate their privacy settings accordingly.

They will also be able to undergo account security and privacy “check-ups.”

The announcement of the new page, as well as a website where the company provides details of how it uses data, is part of an ongoing effort at Google to calm fears about user privacy.

“When you trust your personal information with us, you should expect powerful controls that keep it safe and private as well as useful answers to your questions,” said Google Product Manager Guemmy Kim in a blog post.

Previously, privacy settings were spread across different pages making them more inscrutable for consumers.

Last year, the company announced it believed it had found a way to use data from users to test for security flaws without identifying individual users.

Google, like many tech companies, earns much of its revenue from using user data to target advertising at consumers. But recent disclosures about how consumer data was vulnerable to examination by intelligence agencies has raised privacy concerns.