Google collects your precise or approximate location using GPS, IP address, Wi-Fi, cell tower data, and nearby Bluetooth devices when you use Google services, and this location data is also used for advertising purposes.
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Location data is among the most sensitive categories of personal information because it can reveal where you live, work, worship, receive medical care, and more — and the policy authorizes its use for ad targeting.
The updated policy makes several material clarifications about how Google links your activity across websites and apps. It shifts from describing analytics tools in isolation to framing them as part of a broader 'ad and analytics services' ecosystem, and broadens the scope of data linking to explicitly include 'cookies and other technologies'. The policy also clarifies that data sharing occurs even in private browsing modes. Review your Google Account activity controls to understand what data is being collected and linked across services you use.
View change record →Google may use your device location data, derived from GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower signals, to inform ad targeting; users who have not actively disabled location services for Google apps may be sharing precise location data without fully realizing it.
How other platforms handle this
We collect information about your location, such as data from your device's GPS or IP address, when you use our products.
At Ledger, earning and maintaining our users' trust is a top priority. That's why we are deeply committed not only to protecting your privacy and securing your personal data, but also to being fully transparent about how we handle it.
If we collect health information from these integrations (such as heart rate), we will not sell or use it for advertising or other similar purposes; we do not disclose it to third parties without your prior consent; and we will only use it for the specific purposes described in this Policy.
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"We collect information about your location when you use our services, which helps us offer features like driving directions for your daily commute or showtimes for movies near you. Your location can be determined with varying degrees of accuracy by GPS, IP address, sensor data from your device, and information about things near your device, such as Wi-Fi access points, cell towers, and Bluetooth-enabled devices.— Excerpt from YouTube Ads's Google Privacy Policy
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Location data collection and use for advertising engages GDPR Article 9 (where location data reveals sensitive attributes such as health or religion), CCPA/CPRA (where precise geolocation is classified as sensitive personal information), and FTC guidance on geolocation data in mobile contexts. The FTC and State AGs are primary US enforcement authorities; EU DPAs and the UK ICO govern EEA and UK use. Several US states (including California, Virginia, and Colorado) have enacted specific protections for precise geolocation data. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. Precise geolocation data is classified as sensitive personal information under CPRA and is subject to heightened protection obligations including opt-out rights. Use of location data for advertising purposes — particularly where location reveals patterns of life or visits to sensitive locations (medical facilities, places of worship) — has been a focus of FTC enforcement activity. JURISDICTION FLAGS: California residents have specific CPRA rights to limit use of precise geolocation as sensitive personal information. EU and UK users may be protected by GDPR special category provisions where location data reveals religious or health-related patterns. Illinois, New York, and other states with location-specific privacy provisions may create additional exposure. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Organizations integrating Google location services or Google Maps APIs into their products should assess whether they are transmitting user location data to Google in a manner requiring disclosure in their own privacy notices and data processing agreements. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should review app and website configurations to determine whether Google tags or SDKs are passively collecting location signals from user devices. Privacy notices should accurately disclose location data collection and its use for advertising. California-specific notices should address precise geolocation as a sensitive category under CPRA.
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Location data is among the most sensitive categories of personal information because it can reveal where you live, work, worship, receive medical care, and more — and the policy authorizes its use for ad targeting.
Google may use your device location data, derived from GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower signals, to inform ad targeting; users who have not actively disabled location services for Google apps may be sharing precise location data without fully realizing it.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 7 platforms. See the full comparison.
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