Google will some of your data automatically but you’ll have to ask

Alphabet Inc.’s Google said it will let users set up their profiles to automatically delete location and web-browsing data, giving people a middle ground to the internet giant’s always-on or always-off data hoovering mechanisms.

Users can now choose to have their data deleted after a three-month or 18-month period, the company said Wednesday in a blog post. The change gives people more control over their information, but it also may stop some users from opting to block out Google’s data collection altogether. While people can stop all collection now, the company relies on user data to target ads that feed its multibillion-dollar revenue machine.

Google has struggled to convince customers and regulators that it respects their privacy and keeps the reams of data it collects on people safe. It shut down the Google Plus social network last year after finding a glitch that exposed the personal information of half a million users.