Google Photosand image-based social media platforms like Instagram might seem like night and day. While Google’s app is geared toward organization and storage, social media apps tend to focus more on content and personalization. That being said, the Big Tech giant doesn’t steer clear of customization entirely — in fact, it has debuted features reminiscent of what its competitors offer. For instance, Memories — computer-generated collections of your photos — are curated in Google Photos to provide a more touching experience. However, just like your social media feed, these features don’t function seamlessly without algorithms and data.
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A Google Photos support pagehas been updated to include guidance for a feature that will leverage user activity data to help surface more relevant Memories (via9to5Google). Specifically, the app will note which Memories you have viewed or skipped in the past, and then use this information to give you a more personalized experience.
The company notes that it will use data collected over the past 18 months to roll out this initiative, and it will be automatically turned on for users by default. If you don’t want Google Photos to utilize your data in this manner, you can alter your settings within the app on desktop. The option to turn off activity-based personalization is located underSettings → Activity-based personalization. However, it appears to still be in the process of rolling out, because we’ve yet to see this option on any of our accounts.
While some people may enjoy such features in the app, the use of personal data might rub you the wrong way. Google is aware that these features aren’t for everyone, and it’s reflected that in the settings you see in Google Photos. For example, it’s already possible to hide specific faces, pets, and people from the Memories you see in the app. You can also adjust your settings to let the app know whether you want to see time-based Memories or themed ones.
WhileGoogle Photoshas some stark differences from social media platforms like Instagram, it relies on some of the same components — user data is just one example. Understanding how these apps utilize your information can ensure that you know what you are consenting to upon leveraging them.
