Google has announced the arrival of guest mode on its virtual assistant, which works effectively like private browsing. When this mode is activated, no data is collected by the firm, and will therefore prevent the appearance of targeted advertisements. By contrast, most Google Assistant tasks are still available, provided they don't request access to personal information.
The collection of personal data is at the heart of concerns and Google is well aware of this. After making its virtual assistant sing Happy New Year, the Mountain View company announced the arrival of a new feature allowing you to better control access to information. Entitled Guest Mode, or “Guest mode”, this option works more or less like private browsing on Chrome. Specifically, this mode prevents saving interactions with Google Assistant on the user's account.
Thereby, no data will be collected by the company and the experience will not be impacted depending. Targeted advertisements, among others, will not be able to use this information to adapt their content. To use it, just say “Hey Google, turn on guest mode”. A sound notification is then played to confirm the transition, along with a little animation on devices with a screen. It is also possible to say “Hey Google, is guest mode on?” to check that it is working properly.
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Google Assistant remains fully functional in guest mode. “You can take advantage of popular features like asking questions, controlling home appliances, setting timers, and listening to music,” Google explains. However, the firm specifies that the assistant will not be able to display personal results, such as calendar or contacts, as long as the mode is activated.
Also note that "when you use Google Assistant in guest mode to interact with other apps and services, like Google Maps, YouTube, or connected devices, those apps may still save your activity." To switch back to standard mode, just say “Hey Google, turn off guest mode”. For now, the feature is available on Nest speakers, English only. Other languages will be added over the next few months.
Source: Google
