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What Kind of Information Does Google Collect?
This includes many different kinds of information, such as:
Why Does Google Collect Data?
Google processes data about hundreds of millions of users.
It processes this information to make it optimize its algorithms, ad-delivery mechanisms, and other internal systems.
Personally, I would argue that tailored results arent necessarily better, but thats neither here nor there.
But the biggest reason Google collects data is to forward the companys unrelenting pursuit of profit.
Google doesnt sell that data in any straightforward way.
Advertisers pay the company to make use of its data.
For example, suppose the ad team for a toy maker wants to run ads.
They want to spend their money appealing to those most likely to buy their products.
The ad team pays Google to find out which users fit that bill.
What Are the Dangers of Google Obtaining My Info?
It hoards this data and releases it to others in an anonymized form.
It puts every user into various segments.
This might not sound too bad, but the potential for abuse and breaches is ever-present.
And the outcome of compromised data could be devastating for many users.
There are tons of different prefs, so maximizing privacy can be a bit overwhelming.
To toggle your privacy prefs, youll need to start by getting to the right tab.
Any time you want to change your privacy configs, you might revisit this menu.
Next, lets go over a few important security prefs.
Cookies are used to store your browsing information.
But companies also make use of invasive cookies to collect more about you than you probably want to share.
Next, lets go over how you might clear your net web surfer data.
you might (and should frequently) delete your net internet ride data.
As a little bonus, it can also increase the speed of your surfing app.
Just know that doing so will automatically log you out of your accounts (including your Google account).
Arguably this is a good thing, as it can make said services more useful.
But ultimately this is powered by extensive tracking of your activity.
Turning these tweaks off will have some effects.
The good thing is that you might turn these options off temporarily to test the waters.
When turning this setting off, youre also given the option to clear your activity history.
This will delete all the data about you Google has accumulated over the years.
As a result, Google services will become far less personalized.
In the sameData & privacy tab, just below theHistory settingsheading, youll see a box labeledPersonalized ads.
From here, youll be able to see the assumptions Google has made about you.
Below this, therell be an option to turn off personalized ads.
A VPN encrypts your web connection traffic by routing it through a secure server.
Andany good VPNuses military-grade encryption technology that no third party can decrypt.
Another benefit of a VPN is that you could appear as if youre from a different geographical region.
How does this relate to Google harvesting your personal information, you ask?
But even in this example the VPN still encrypts your data, so everything but your location is protected.
Great VPNs like ExpressVPN include an array of additional features that further protect your privacy.
Norton Private online window also encrypts your information, making it impossible for a company to read.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Google collect data?
Can Google sell my information?
Google doesnt sell your data directly, but what it does with your data isarguably just as bad.
Google places you into various user segments based on the information it obtains from you.
Advertisers then bid to place ads on your segment.
It then directs ads from the highest bidder your way.
This includes websites with deliberate misinformation.
What are the best tools for hiding data from Google?
The best tools for hiding yourself from Google are a VPN, privacy extensions, and common sense.
you’re able to alsoadjust your privacy settingsin Google to minimize what data it collects.
A VPN encrypts your outgoing internet data, rendering it unreadable by Google.
Privacy extensions like Bitdefender Anti-Tracker prevent websites from collecting cookies, fingerprinting, and tracking scripts.
Whats wrong with Google collecting my information?
The simple answer is that it causes security, privacy, and profiling concerns.
Google is alarge target for hackers.
The issue with profiling is a bit trickier.
When Google collects data, it separates you into various user segments.
