How much information does Google know about you?

2023 © Wikiask
Main topic: Tech
Other topics: Google
Short answer:

Google creates a profile for each of its users and stores the following information on them:

  • Google knows its users' personal information, including their date of birth, religious and political affiliation, voice recognition, face recognition, etc.
  • Google knows the Location history and routes frequently taken by the user.
  • People the user in question has communicated with, even if they are not using Google services themselves.
  • Online activity patterns known to Google include the type of websites visited and the kind of information users consented to store/not store, advertisements liked/rejected, communication preferences over Gmail, and so on.

Google is the most extensive and elaborate search engine in the world. It is the first resource we consult when we have inquiries about anything or anybody. However, how frequently do we wonder, "What does Google know about me?"

The answer could be found in the user agreements and other public Google documents.

Google knows who its users are as an individual and keeps their personality profile[edit]

Google knows user identity and all the components that construct that identity. It uses state-of-the-art technology to ensure that it understands users' history.

This is in addition to the rudimentary information it presumably already has on all its users, including name, gender, date of birth, language, etc. Face recognition and tagging in Google Photos are improving, so they know how their users look.

Google knows how their users sound because of voice recording in their products or a third-party app for which they granted permission. One may examine and listen to their recording history if they go to 'My Activity' on their website.

By monitoring their search history, Google may also profile a user based on their spiritual views, political opinions, and voting intentions.[1]

Google is aware of the user's destination and route[edit]

Most people carry their phones with them everywhere they go. They may also synchronize it with other devices. There are probably other gadgets the users connect to the internet.

Google can track their geographical position whether they connect using wi-fi, GPS, or cellular networks, and by tracking how long they are connected in each area, Google knows where they go, where they've been, and for how long.

Google can estimate its users' home and office locations by tracking the location, activity, and duration of stay.[2]

Google knows and tracks people that regularly come in contact with its users[edit]

Google knows who its users communicate with. They can see their contacts in Gmail, Google Hangouts, and Android phones, including names, emails, and phone numbers.

Google can even determine who they communicate with most often. If they want to know when and where they are meeting someone, they may consult their Google Calendar.

The geotags used on users' photos indicating their favorite restaurant or the hotel they are staying at is also stored in their database.

Before 2017, Google automatically scanned the personal emails of its users to recommend websites and enable targeted advertising. Then, they said they would cease reading emails to develop targeted advertising.

Google also reads the emails of non-subscribers who send messages to Gmail users. Google has yet to confirm the length of time the information is stored or how ad-free third-party apps use it. This is not restricted to text-only emails; they may also see the video clips and images they send.[3]

Google is aware of users' websites and purchase preferences.[edit]

The algorithm learns when its users use Google Search to find particular items. Every time one clicks or hides an advertisement, the system knows.

If Google is involved in making an online purchase, the algorithm will learn each time user makes a purchase.[4]

Google shopping section in the search engine
Google shopping section in the search engine

Google is aware of users' online behavioral patterns.[edit]

Google Chrome tracks everything a user has looked for in Google Search, every website they have visited or bookmarked, every YouTube video watched, every advertisement clicked on, and even the number of passwords Chrome auto-fills for them.

The following Google Chrome browser behaviors have been documented:

  • Everything user has searched for on Google or YouTube
  • YouTube History
  • The average number of Google searches conducted in a month
  • Every website ever visited or put in the address bar
  • Every website ever bookmarked
  • Every open tab in Google Chrome on all of the user's connected devices.
  • All Gmail communications
  • The applications downloaded from Chrome Web Store and the Google Play store.
  • Chrome Web Store add-ons
  • Configuration of the Chrome browser
  • Any email addresses, addresses, and phone numbers configured into Chrome to fill in automatically
  • All usernames and passwords that stored on Chrome.
  • All the websites for which Chrome has been instructed not to keep a password.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Nield, David. "All the Ways Google Tracks You—And How to Stop It". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  2. ↑ Zhou, Marrian. "Google is probably tracking your location, even if you turn it off, says report". CNET. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  3. ↑ Fogarty, Kelsey. "Google Is Probably Tracking You But You Can Stop It". CNET. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  4. ↑ Graham, Todd Haselton,Megan. "Google uses Gmail to track a history of things you buy — and it's hard to delete". CNBC. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  5. ↑ "Everything Google Knows about You (and How to Search Privately)". The Mac Security Blog. 2017-11-28. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
Retrieved from "https://wikiask.org/w/index.php?title=How_much_information_does_Google_know_about_you%3F&oldid=7473"