What Does Google Know About You? And How To Stop It?

Google has become an undeniable part of our daily life. From finding directions to scheduling appointments to watching content to searching our queries, my Google activity shows every bit of my day. It's hard to imagine a world without Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Maps, and YouTube.

But there’s a catch: when everything is free, you’re the product. The Alphabet-owned tech giant makes most of its revenue by tracking its users, which reached around 237.86 billion dollars in 2023.

Google collects vast amounts of user data through Google Activity to personalize ads and services. This data includes your search history, browsing habits, location, age, and marital status.

So, how does Google collect all this information? What does it do with it? And the most important part: how can you stop it? Let’s dive in.

How Does Google Get Information About You?

Google has several means to keep tabs on you. When you sign up for a Google account, you willingly share some of your personal information, like your name, phone number, or email address. Google knows everything you search on Google Search and everything you watch on YouTube (Google owns it).

They have all your emails via Gmail and all your photos through Google Photos. If you use Android (Google owns that, too), Google even knows your location history, app usage, and even your contacts through Google Contacts.

Even if you are not actively using Google products, Google may collect data from third-party websites and apps that use Google services, such as Google Analytics or AdSense. This data can include your browsing history, purchases, and demographics.

Google’s former CEO, Eric Schmidt, once admitted,

“We know where you are. We know where you’ve been. We can more or less know what you’re thinking about.”

What Data Does Google Keep About You? And Why?

Google collects tons of data about you, including your personal information, location data, search history, browsing history, app usage, voice recordings, device information, and even video recordings. Google uses this data to:

Personalize your Google experience: Google uses your data to tailor its products and services to your individual needs and preferences. For example, Google may show you ads relevant to your interests or recommend videos that you might enjoy.
Improve Google's products and services: Google uses your data to identify areas where its products and services can be improved. For example, Google may use your search history to understand what types of searches people are most likely to perform and then make changes to its search algorithm to better meet those needs.

Who Does Google Think You Are? (Based On Your Google Activity)

Google uses your browsing data to create a detailed profile of you. This profile includes information about your:

Interests: Google analyzes your search history, browsing history, and app usage to determine your interests. For example, if you frequently search for "cooking recipes," Google may conclude that you are interested in cooking.
Demographics: Google can use your browsing data to estimate your demographics, such as your age, gender, and location. For example, if you frequently visit websites related to parenting, Google may conclude that you are a parent.
Personality: Google can use your browsing data to infer your personality traits. For example, if you frequently visit news websites and social media platforms, Google may conclude that you are a social person.

Based on this profile, Google targets you with ads that are more likely to be relevant and interesting to you. This is why you may see ads for products or services that you have recently searched for or shown interest in.

How To Find Out What Google Knows About You?

You can find everything Google knows about you in your account settings. Here’s how to do it.

Log in to your Google Account.
On the Google homepage, click on your Profile.

Open the Manage your Google Account tab.

Click on Data & privacy.

Scroll down and open the My Ad Center from the “Personalized ads” section.

Select Manage Privacy. You can find everything Google has assumed about you here based on your search, location, or YouTube history.

How To Stop Google Tracking You?

Once you know what information Google saves about you, you can stop it. Below is a detailed guide on how to reduce Google’s tracking of your activities:

Turn Off Your History Settings - Web & App Activity, YouTube, And Location History

Turn off your history settings in a few clicks.

On the Google homepage, click on your Profile.

Open the Manage your Google Account tab.

Go to the Data & privacy page.

Scroll down to the History settings.

Click on Web & App Activity.
Select Turn off from the drop-down menu. You can also delete the previous activity from there.

Go back to the “History settings” and click on Timeline.
Click the Turn off button to stop Google from tracking your location.

Now, return to the previous page and click on YouTube History. Repeat the same process and Turn it off.

Turn Off Ad Personalization

Since the main purpose of Google’s data collection is ad personalization, turning it off will significantly reduce it. Following these steps to stop ad personalization from your account’s settings.

Log in to your Google account.
On the top-right corner of the screen, click on your Profile.
Go to Manage your Google Account.
Click on Data & privacy.
Scroll down and open the My Ad Center from the “Personalized ads” section.

Toggle the Personalized ads switch to Off.

Now, click Turn off.

Check What Information You Share With Others

You can also find out which of your information is visible to whom under your account’s settings.

Go to your Profile and click on Manage your Google Account.
Open the Data & Privacy tab.
Scroll down to the Info you can share with others. Here, you can find the personal information that Google has collected. You can also make it private.

Data From Apps And Services You Use

To find all the data that Google collects through its products and services, follow these steps:

Go to your Profile and click on Manage your Google Account.
Open the Data & Privacy tab.
Now, scroll down to the Data from apps and services you use section.

Click on Content saved from Google services. Here, you get a summary of your services and data. You can also download your data or delete a service.

Click on the Third-party apps & services to access data stored by third-party platforms that use Google sign-in.
Now, select a service and delete your connections with that specific service.

Click Confirm on the confirmation pop-up.

Is There Any Alternative To Google That Doesn’t Track Your Data?

The above actions significantly reduce your information from getting saved by Google. However, Google has been notorious for not listening to its users when they ask it to stop tracking them. For example, despite widespread protests against location history tracking, Google continued to collect this data for years.

The more straightforward approach is to not use Google and its services. This is a difficult task, for sure, given how much our daily lives depend upon Google products now. But it is not entirely possible.

Here are a few ways you can secure your personal information.

Using A Private Search Engine

A private search engine is a search engine that doesn't track your search queries or browsing history. Some popular options include:

DuckDuckGo: Known for its strong privacy commitment, DuckDuckGo doesn't store your personal information or share it with third parties.
Startpage: Another privacy-focused search engine, Startpage uses Google's search results but doesn't track your searches.
Brave Search: Brave's search engine is integrated into the Brave web browser and offers privacy features like ad blocking and tracking prevention.

Using A VPN

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts your internet traffic, making it difficult for Google and other third parties to track your online activities. When you use a VPN, your IP address is masked, making it harder for websites to identify you.

Some popular VPN services include:

NordVPN: Offers a wide range of features, including secure servers in multiple locations.
ExpressVPN: Known for its fast speeds and reliable connections.
ProtonVPN: A Swiss-based VPN service focusing on privacy and security.

Using private search engines and VPNs, you can significantly reduce Google's ability to track your online activities and protect your personal information.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Google has become an omnipresent force in our lives, collecting vast amounts of data about our activities and preferences. While this data allows Google to personalize its services, it also raises significant privacy concerns.

By understanding how Google collects and uses data and by taking proactive steps to protect your privacy, you can regain control over your digital footprint. Be mindful of the information you share online and explore alternative services that prioritize user privacy.