In short, Google is everywhere, and whether you use its products or not, it is gathering data about you and using that data to create a unique profile, which in turn allows it to shape what you see online. As it builds a profile of you, Google will recommend content for you to engage with and even shape search results based on what its algorithm thinks you want to read. And Google doesn't use this data just to create targeted ad campaigns, but for a variety of other purposes. On top of this, Google uses a bunch of other trackers, all in order to gather as much data about you as possible. Then there's also Global Site Tag, another Google-owned tracker that is used by millions of websites, because it helps track ads that are served through Google's own advertising program. So, when you visit a website that uses Google Analytics, you give Google access to your browsing history, for example. Google Analytics doesn't just provide basic statistical information to webmasters, but also collects all kinds of data about visitors, and then adds this data to Google's existing profiles about people. But the truth is, none of this will completely eliminate Google from your life. Called De-Google, it is led by activists who claim the tech giant's monopolistic power poses a grave danger to privacy as such.īut can you really de-Google your life? You can definitely limit the amount of data Google collects on you by tweaking app permissions, optimizing your smartphone and computer, changing location settings, and so on. But there is actually an entire movement dedicated to removing Google from one's life. It appears as though most people are either not completely aware of this, or are willing to give up their privacy to use Google products for free. In other words, it pretty much reveals everything about you as a consumer. This data is invaluable, because it tells Google who you are, what you do, what interests you, how you behave, and what you respond to. It's hardly surprising that Google collects data from those who use its products and services be it through search, YouTube, email, maps, or Chrome.

Why Google Is Everywhere (and Keeping Tabs on You)

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