It’s no secret that Google has a lot of information about its users. Google collects a lot of information about you, including your search history, location, and voice searches. Which it uses to improve its services and serve relevant advertisements. But you may be surprised to learn that Google can easily access all of the information it has about you. Android phone record every voice commands. And can be quickly accessed and listened back to by going to Google’s Activity Settings.
If you have an iPhone and want to utilize voice commands with a Google app, you can do the exact same thing. This isn’t the only thing you could be shocked to discover when you check your Google account settings. What most people don’t understand is that even if you don’t use any Google products directly. They’re still tracking as much information about you as they can. Trackers from Google have been discovered on 75% of the top million websites.
This indicates they’re also trying to follow basically everything that you do on the internet, snooping on your browser history. But even that’s not all following are the ways in which Google knows ‘everything’ about you:
1. Through Google Search:
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Anything And Everything You Ever Searched On Google
If you have sign-in into your Google account when doing searches. Google has access to your search history and they know everything about you. Google, on the other hand, has privacy policies in place to protect users’ personal information. And they do not disclose individual search history with third parties unless user permissions or a valid legal request is made.
You may also remove your Google search history if you don’t want google to know about you. Or use Google in “incognito” mode to prevent Google from tracking your searches. Most individuals have had advertisements related to recent Google searches and follow them around on multiple websites for days, if not weeks, after the search.
Google analyzes your search history to target advertising and provides a personalized experience for you. When you search Google and instantly see advertising for things relevant to that search on the next page you visit, you can see how fast ad personalization can work.
2. Through Maps Location Feature:
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Wherever You May Have Commuted Or Traveled To
Google Maps has a timeline function that maintains track of every location you’ve visited while using the tool. When you use Google Maps, they gather data about the location of your device. Such as GPS coordinates, Wi-Fi access points, and cell tower Id numbers.
This only works if you have your location history enabled. You may also remove your location history and restrict what data Google stores about you. It also knows where you go most usually. While Google may acquire information about your location. They have privacy rules and legal requirements that limit how they may use and disclose your data
3. Through Play Store:
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Every App You’ve Searched For, The Number Of Apps You’ve Ever Downloaded On An Android Phone
If you’ve ever used an Android phone, you’ve almost certainly downloaded applications. Google knows every app you’ve ever downloaded and which device you’ve used it on, including how long you use them, and any in-app purchases you make. They may also record device information such as device kind, operating system, and network information. However, you can manage what information Google stores by modifying your privacy settings and verifying the rights you provide to applications before downloading them.
4. Through Google Photos:
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How Many Images You’ve Clicked And Stored
If you make use of Google Photos. Google Photos is a cloud-based picture and video storage service that allows users to save, organize, and share their photographs and movies with others. Hence, Google Photos automatically organizes and categorizes images based on visual content and metadata such as location, time, and date. Google is aware of the photographs you’ve looked at.
It is necessary to emphasize that the platform protects user data with advanced security methods such as encryption and two-factor authentication. Furthermore, users have complete control over their data and may delete, download, or export their photographs and videos at any moment.
5. Through Google Chrome:
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All The Websites You Have Browsed And Visited On Any Device
It is true if you use Google services such as the Google Chrome browser or the Google search engine while logged into your Google, Google knows all sites you’ve visited. account Google’s Chrome browser is the most popular one in the world and almost every individual used it on daily basis it saves history if you don’t remove it.
However, users can control their privacy settings and choose what data Google traps about them. If users do not want Google to have access to their search and browsing history, they can remove it.
6. Through Android:
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The Model Of The Phone And The Number Of Devices You’ve Used
Whatever Android phone you’ve ever used, Google knows which one it was and what the model name/number was. Some of the information Google may collect includes: This comprises your device’s model and make operating system version and unique identifiers such as its Mobile number. Google stores user data on how you use your device and its services.
This might include information on the apps you use, how frequently, and for how long you use them. If you allow location services on your device, Google can collect and utilize information about your location history to better its services. Google collects data about your search queries and the websites you visit in order to customize your search results and show you relevant advertising. The conversations and emails you’ve exchanged with People you talk to the most or contact most frequently.
7. Through Youtube:
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The Number Of Videos You’ve Seen In A Month
Google knows how many videos you’ve seen in a month on YouTube. This information may include your search history, viewing history, and interactions with videos and other site content. Google, which owns YouTube, may then use this information to build a profile of your online interests, preferences, and activities.
It is essential to highlight, however, that this data is normally utilized for advertising and other commercial objectives, rather than for malicious ones. Google also has privacy rules and user controls in place to enable users to change their data and privacy settings.
That being said, it’s always a good idea to be conscious of the information you share online and to take precautions to protect your privacy, such as using strong passwords, activating two-factor authentication, and exercising caution when sharing information on social media.
Google Has The Information You Deleted
It is important to note that when you delete information from your Google account or Google services, it may not be immediately deleted from Google’s servers or backups. Google may retain a copy of your data for a set period of time in order to ensure that its systems function properly and obey legal obligations. Furthermore, it is important to note that Google may not be able to completely delete your information in some cases, such as when it is required for security, fraud prevention, or other legitimate business purposes.
It’s always a good idea to read Google’s privacy policies and terms of service to learn how they handle user data and what options you have for managing and deleting your data. Google Drive, contains items specifically deleted, such as my résumé, monthly budget, and all the code, files, and websites you have ever created, as well as the Encryption private key, which you deleted, and which you use to encrypt messages.
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What Your Browsing Data Says About You (According To Google)
Google believes it can learn a lot about you based on the links you’ve clicked and the websites you’ve visited on the internet. The information gathered about you is used to develop a profile of who Google believes you are. For instance, what is your marital status? A married person is unlikely to be looking for engagement rings, and a single person is unlikely to be wondering why their wife becomes more lovely by the day.
What are your political perspectives? Google knows whether you’ve visited a political candidate’s or organization’s website. They also know if you visited the contribution page while you were there. Several news organizations are known to take opposing political positions. Google knows who they are and how many times you’ve visited their websites.
Do you have children in your home? If you’ve been looking for “videos – Peppa Pig,” the answer is most likely yes. What do you enjoy doing? Google knows you’re interested in the outdoors if your searches include phrases like “state park near me,” “used cross-country skis,” and “how long does it take to trek the Long Trail end to finish.” By visiting My Ad Center, you can see for yourself what Google knows about you (or thinks they know). This website also allows you to disable ad personalization.
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What If You Don’t Want Them To know?
The good news is that you can change your Google settings to restrict the amount of data collected about you. Disable your location history. Google demonstrates how to manage your location history using the Google Maps app or a web browser in this article.
Google allows users to customize their privacy settings for online and app activity, location data, and YouTube history on this page. Try utilizing other search engines. DuckDuckGo is a well-liking option. See how DuckDuckGo safeguards its users’ privacy and how it differs from Google. Google is not your only email choice. Cybernews created a list of the top Gmail alternatives to preserve your privacy, as well as the pros and downsides of each.
Despite the fact that Google and its services are thoroughly embedded in our lives. We do have some choice over how much Google tracks us.
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Advantages: If Google Knows Everything About You
It is important to recognize that having Google or any other firm knows everything about you has both pros and cons. Here are some possible advantages:
- Google might offer you customized services based on your choices and interests. It might, for example, provide you with customized search results, and personalized suggestions. And targeted adverts that are more likely to be relevant to your interests.
- If Google has access to your calendar, it may be able to help you manage your time more effectively by sending you reminders and ideas based on your routine. It may also assist you in better planning your day by proposing routes for your commute, nearby eateries for lunch, and evening activities.
- Google may use information about your online activity to detect and prevent fraud, identity theft, and other cyber dangers. It might, for example, flag unusual behavior on your account and notify you if it detects any unwanted access.
- Based on your search history and use trends, Google would be able to give more tailored and effective customer service. This may assist you in resolving difficulties more quickly and efficiently.
- Google may utilize its understanding of your likes and behaviors to create goods and services that are more tailored to your requirements. Understanding your behavior and preferences might lead to the development of new products that are more intuitive and user-friendly.
While there are potential benefits to Google knowing everything about you. There are also potential risks and concerns about privacy and data security. Individuals must be aware of these threats and take precautions to secure their personal information online.
The Bottom Line:
Google does have access to a wealth of information on its users, including their search history, location data, and internet activities. Google can generate insights and predictions about its users’ behavior, tastes, and interests by using advanced code and data analysis. While some individuals may be concerned about the quantity of data Google collects. And how it utilizes that data, it is crucial to highlight that much of this data is obtained with users’ full agreement.
Google has also introduced several privacy controls and data protection safeguards to secure user information. Individuals must ultimately select how much data they are prepared to give to Google. And other online platforms, as well as take efforts to preserve their privacy and personal information. It is equally critical for corporations like Google to be upfront about their data gathering and usage policies, as well as to respect their consumers’ privacy and rights.