How to Keep Google from Putting Your Name and Picture in Their Ads [1]

Google has just published some upcoming changes to its terms of service [3]. If you are signed in with a Google account and you +1 some product, Google may now have the right to use your name and picture in certain ads for that product. Although there are limitations on which ads will include your personal information, I suspect many people (including me) will object to being used in any advertising. Here is how to change the setting.

Explanation of the setting and instructions are at this Google link [4]. The actual settings page is here [5]. Remove a check by the line at the bottom labeled “Based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads.” There is also a setting under Google+ on your Google accounts page. It is called “Shared Endorsements”.

Correction: Because of some things I had read,  I wrote earlier that this is an opt-out setting. That may be incorrect for some accounts and I apologize for any possible misunderstanding. It is definitely opt-out for Google+ accounts. Google has written to those accounts, "The changes to the Terms will be effective as of November 11, 2013. If you do not take any action, the Shared Endorsements setting will be turned on." 

Minors under the age of 18 are not affected.

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