Google launches "your related activity" mobile search feature

Martin Brinkmann
Jan 11, 2019
Google, Search
|
13

Google announced the rollout of a new mobile search feature called "your related activity" that lets users pick up where they stopped previously according to Google.

The feature is being rolled out to Google Search and Google app users in the United States on mobile; when and if it will land in other regions is unclear at this point.

Users get a "your related activity" listing at the top of the search results when they perform searches using the Google app or Google mobile search.

google related activity

Activity is limited to searches the user has done in the past or pages that the user visited in the past; a click on a suggestion opens it directly.

Google notes that users may find the feature useful to go back to visited pages that they found interesting or re-do searches to discover new results.

A long tap on a result provides options to add links to a collection to access it at a later point in time similarly to how "read it later" apps and services provide the functionality.

Google users are in control of the feature; they may delete individual suggestions or turn off cards with a tap on the three-dot menu icon.

My take

I don't find the "your related activity" feature useful; first, because it is placed directly at the top of the search results page. You may need to scroll down to see any result on the page as the "your related activity" card takes over most of the screen.

Second, because it displays previously visited pages or searches done. A visit to the browsing history would provide similar options without polluting search results even more than they are already.

Google's intention, to keep users on Google and in Google applications for as long as possible, takes priority over usefulness at times.

Some users may like this feature and activity tracking; I'm on the other side of the fence on this one and prefer less involvement of search engines and companies, and less tracking.

Now You: what is your take on the "your related activity" feature?

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Google launches
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Google launches "your related activity" mobile search feature
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Google announced the rollout of a new mobile search feature called "your related activity" that lets users pick up where they stopped previously according to Google.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Uncensored said on January 12, 2019 at 10:01 am
    Reply

    When I see these kind of features I only want to know how to turn it off forever.

  2. 11r20 said on January 11, 2019 at 11:29 pm
    Reply

    A lot of people are blocking google at every
    turn: Every IP address because it’s a proven fact that we just don’t need em…I’ve wiped
    everything google off my android and block hundred’s of e100 google network addresses from tryin to connect to my computer. Not to mention blocking google user content from my open-DNS; n’ add in a mile long Pi-Hole list
    fer good measure

    If it has a google, faKeBook, twatter, windblows10 or an apple name associated with
    it I avoid it like the plague

    That bein said, googler, microsoft and apple are in overdrive trying to implement some sort of Live Device Access Within 3 Months
    to infiltrate all of our devices, so they can manage, censor and feed us their preferred global elitist luciferian content

    We’ll than have Thousands of more servers and addresses to block…BooooYaaaa

    1. ilev said on January 12, 2019 at 6:50 pm
      Reply

      Don’t drag Apple into the mess of google, faKeBook, twatter, windblows10 .. Apple isn’t playing with this bunch.

      1. QAnon Wears a Tinfoil Hat said on January 18, 2019 at 3:59 am
        Reply

        You’re adorable.

        Completely wrong, but still adorable.

  3. John Fenderson said on January 11, 2019 at 8:02 pm
    Reply

    “what is your take on the “your related activity” feature?”

    Do not want.

    I probably don’t completely understand, but it seems to me that the combination of bookmarks and browser history accomplishes the same thing…

  4. Martin Brinkmann said on January 11, 2019 at 6:20 pm
    Reply

    Would probably not show anything (equal to turning the feature off).

  5. Yuliya said on January 11, 2019 at 5:32 pm
    Reply

    So they decided to share, some, of the data they gather about you, with you, finally. How nice of them ^.^
    сарказм

    1. supergirl said on January 12, 2019 at 11:22 am
      Reply

      Yuliya

      Exactly what I was thinking !

  6. Henk said on January 11, 2019 at 5:10 pm
    Reply

    Of course I agree with you on this. Just another bit of pseudo-convenience for users who like being tracked.

    Just a question, out of curiosity. On my Android phone the Google Search app is disabled and I won’t enable it, not even for a little bit of testing. But for obvious reasons (such as being able to download and update Play Store apps) the phone still is linked to a Google account, a separate one that I set up specifically for that phone.

    Now in the settings for this Google account, under “Data & Personalization”, “Activity Controls”, the recording of all various activities (such as “Web & App Activity”, “Location History”, “YouTube Search History” and more) have all consistently been set to “paused” from the start. This means that in principle, Google should not record and not keep past activities.

    I’m curious as to what this same Google Search would show in this situation. Would it show no “Your related activity” list at all? Or would this search screen reveal that Google is still collecting some personal data?

    As said, I’m sorry but I’m not going to try this out for myself. But maybe someone can and will?

    1. John Fenderson said on January 16, 2019 at 6:00 pm
      Reply

      @Henk: “This means that in principle, Google should not record and not keep past activities.”

      I wouldn’t bet on it. The location tracking debacle is a great example of why.

    2. Anonymous said on January 12, 2019 at 12:40 am
      Reply

      Forget the Play store. Use Yalp or Aurora – you can log in anonymously and spoof your device and/or location. If you must (for purchases), look into NanoDroid (microG)…

  7. Anna said on January 11, 2019 at 3:49 pm
    Reply

    Isn’t a google something that litters the pavement in chinese-populated areas?

  8. rip said on January 11, 2019 at 3:38 pm
    Reply

    It sounds like something that could better be handled by faceted searches such as drill downs and categorization.

    I’m not sure why so many sites are taking up so much valuable screen real estate with white space, cards, and other fluff.

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