Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Your Google One plan just got 2 big security updates to keep you safe online

Christine Romero-Chan
By

Google just added some major new security features to keep its Google One subscribers safe while on the web. After all, the internet is where you spend a lot of your time, whether that’s looking things up, paying bills, shopping, booking appointments, or sharing photos with family and friends. That’s a lot of information, and Google wants to keep subscribers safe from the darker side of the web.

Regardless of whether you use an iPhone or an Android smartphone, all Google One subscribers are getting the following two security features.

Related Videos

VPN by Google One for everyone

Samsung Galaxy S23 on astroturf
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

Starting today, and rolling out over the next several weeks, more Google One subscribers can access VPN by Google One. Google initially rolled out its VPN service in late 2020, but it was restricted to the $10-per-month 2TB plan. Starting today, any Google One subscriber has access to it.

With VPN by Google One, you can add an extra layer of security to your data connection. With a VPN, you’ll be able to mask your IP address, keeping it clear of the prying eyes of hackers and other shady network operators. Without the use of a VPN, websites and apps can utilize your IP address to track your activity and determine your location, so adding a secure layer over that can help keep you safe.

VPN by Google One is now accessible by all Google One subscribers, even those on the Basic $2-per-month (100GB) plan. The VPN is available in 22 countries and can be used on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.

Dark web report monitoring

A keyboard that displays a darknet button.
Getty Images

With everyone so reliant on online services these days, there’s always the risk of a data breach, unfortunately. When a data breach happens, your personal information can be stolen and used for online identity theft and other crimes — and this happens more often than you think. Google wants to help protect you against those situations as well.

Google One is adding a new dark web report, which helps you scan the dark web for your info, like name, address, email, phone number, and Social Security number. If anything is found as a match, you’ll be notified.

With the dark web report enabled, you can just provide the information that you want to keep an eye on within your monitoring profile, and Google will take care of the rest. In addition to the results that match your personal info in the monitoring profile, you can also get additional related info that may have been found in data breaches.

All of this information is handled through Google’s own privacy policy, and you are able to delete any info from your monitoring profile or simply stop monitoring completely. Again, if you have an active Google One subscription, you will have access to dark web monitoring as it rolls out within the next few weeks on your smartphone and other devices.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Android does this one thing so much better than iOS, and it drives me crazy
Individual volume control sliders on a Samsung Galaxy S23

I’ve long been an iPhone user and always will be — it's just what's in my blood. Even though I’ve been dipping my toes into various Android devices since I started here at Digital Trends, my primary device is still an iPhone 14 Pro. There are a few reasons behind this decision: I’m heavily vested in the Apple ecosystem already, I bought the 1TB model to not worry about storage, and some apps I use don’t have a good enough Android equivalent.

Despite my personal choice of using iOS primarily, the more time I spend with Android, the more I notice things that it does way better than Apple’s iOS. And one of those things is how Android handles volume controls compared to iOS’ rather rudimentary and infuriating system. It may sound like a small thing to home in on, but it's something I just can't overlook.
Apple’s iOS volume controls are badly outdated

Read more
Android Auto just got a much-requested new feature
how to set up android auto thumbnail 2

Android Auto is an excellent platform that helps bridge the gap between a driver's phone and their car's control center, and now it's getting even better.

The latest update for the Android Auto beta adds an exciting amount of customization to the interface's widgets. Now, instead of the usual fixed layout that users have grown accustomed to, the widgets are interchangeable and able to be customized to best accommodate a driver's needs.

Read more
You paid too much money for your Pixel Watch — and Google knows it
The Google Pixel Watch's crown.

A new report has revealed the profit margins for the Google Pixel Watch, and it looks like Google is taking home a lot more than its competitors.

According to a report from Counterpoint Research, it costs Google $123 to build a single Pixel Watch (specifically, the 4G LTE variant), which Google charges $400 for. When compared to the profit margins for similar devices, it feels like Google has some explaining to do.

Read more