Google Photos to no longer auto-backup media files from social media, chat apps

Google has announced that it will no longer back up photographs from applications like WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter to Google Photos. According to an American media outlet, Google was already testing the update, but it has now changed the default settings in its Photos application to ensure it does not backup media content from messaging apps. This comes after Facebook was heavily criticised for invading the privacy of its users.

In an announcement, the tech giant said it had noted that in recent days, people were posting photos and videos more than before. Therefore, it was changing default Google Photos' settings “to save internet resources”. It also said that notification from Google Photo app would appear following the update.

Prior to this change, Google Photos would back up photos and videos saved on smartphones. The backup included all photographs clicked by the phone’s default camera, those saved from the internet, and those shared on social media and messaging apps. In case, a user did not want the photographs saved, one had to turn the feature off manually from the settings. 

Won't affect past photos 

Though the update is temporary, users can still enable the backup by turning the feature on manually. Also, all the photographs and videos which have already been backed up from users existing chat would not be affected. According to reports, Google has still not released a complete list of applications that would be included but the confirmed applications include Whatsapp, Kik, Facebook, Snapchat Instagram, Twitter and LINE.

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This comes as Google on June 29 said that it has removed all the advertisements that were targeting users who were looking for voting-related information on the search engine. The ads were targeting users by taking them to bogus websites, where they were being asked to pay large amounts for voter registration, which is already free in the United States. The sites were also harvesting users' personal data, according to Tech Transparency Project, a non-profit watchdog that pointed out the scam on Google. 

Read: Google Removes Misleading Ads Related To Voting, Elections

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Image credits: Unsplash/ rami_alzayat