Google is warning both iOS and Android users about the locations for photos stored in the Google Photos app.
According to PhoneArena, the feature looks at the background position of photos and videos the user has taken with the phone’s camera and then uses the landmarks visible in the photo to figure out where the photo or video was taken.
Google’s warning says that while the company no longer uses users’ Location Logs to find out where they took photos or videos, they can do this using other methods.
Google notes that choosing to keep means that users can use their estimated existing locations to sort and find photos. If you choose to delete them, the user will receive a message stating that they may permanently lose their previous location estimates, although the image will still be retained.
To check if location estimation is enabled, open the Google Photos app and tap on your profile picture in the upper right corner of the screen. Clicking on Photos settings > Location > Location sources will see an on/off button next to Estimate missing locations. If you’re annoyed that Google is using landmarks in photos to guess where you’ve been, turn this option off.
Users can also edit or remove the estimated location from photos stored in Google Photos by opening the app and tapping the photo or video. Tap the extras menu with three dots and tap Edit with the pencil icon. Now add or select a location from recent locations or click Remove location to remove any location associated with that photo or video .
Google Photos users on iOS or Android will have the option to keep or delete their estimated location before May 1. If no decision is made by that date, Google will automatically remove the estimated available locations from the Photos app shortly.