Google will soon let you rename, remove or hide a single photo from your Memories after transgender and non-binary advocates pushed the company to give people more control over how, when and if their old photos resurface.
Both Google and Apple have received criticism from smartphone users over the memories feature, which can sometimes surface photos that people might not like to see again without warning. The potential problems with the feature are vast, ranging from pictures that might remind someone of the death of a loved one, a painful breakup, an abusive relationship or any of countless other memories that might not be appropriate for a cheerful and unexpected "look back on this day" alert.
The feature will allow users to completely remove specific people or time periods from Memories, rename a Memory and remove or rename a single photo. "We conducted qualitative research interviews with trans individuals and community leaders. These focus groups, along with our own transgender community at Google, played an important role in shaping how Memories in Google Photos works. We learned that control over Memories would be necessary and that there's no one-size-fits-all solution," the company wrote in a press release.
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE