Overview
While VirtualShield does protect Google from tracking your IP address and some identifiable elements, this protection is nullified if you are logged in to your Google account. Other VPNs work in a similar way, not just VirtualShield in particular.
This due to the simple fact that once you are logged in, Google knows exactly who you are and what you're doing online. To make matters worse, you are essentially giving them permission to track you by logging in.
How do I prevent this?
When you perform a search on Google, that data gets collected and used again the next time you search for something. You can either log out of your Google account, or you can follow the instructions below to stop Google from tracking your online activity.
To stop Google from tracking, you can go to myactivity.google.com.
You might need to log in to your Google account first, before you will be able to see your online activity.
From the menu on the left-hand side, select Activity Controls.
You can also access your Activity Controls by visiting this link.
Toggle off Web & App Activity and Location History to stop Google from storing your precise locations on your account.
That's it! Once you've disabled your Location History, you can safely browse on Google while you're connected to the VPN.
Google will only be able to see the IP address/location of the server you're connected to. They will not be able to recognize your actual location.
We also recommend deleting your previous location history in order to be fully protected. See this Google support article for more information.
Common Questions
Is this required in order to use Google?
No, disabling location history is not required. However, it is strongly recommended if you want your location to remain fully private when you browse the web.
Does this apply to other Google services like YouTube?
Yes, this article applies to all Google services like Google Maps, Google Earth, Gmail, and YouTube. Many other websites also utilize Google services as well.