We all know that Google is one home for 90% of internet users all over the world. They have the most powerful and highly sophisticated technologies which makes them even unseat ‘Microsoft’. They have been highly advanced to the modern ways of internet technologies. However, such a monopoly comes with a threat to a user’s privacy. So am going to take you through How to stop google from storing and tracking your data.
Read also: How to reduce data consumption on an Android
Here are the 5 facts about Google
- Their search engine have every bit and nit of information you are looking for on the internet.
- Every information you have on the internet are highly secured once you have an account with Google
- Google is one of the highest paid Ad networks on the internet whereby they pay you when they advertise on your blog/site
- Google have boosted that they can never be hacked.
- Google chrome is one of the best browser ever found on the internet
So far so good, I have mentioned to you five facts about Google you can add yours. So let’s continue on our topic How to stop google from storing and tracking your data
Do you know that Google algorithm and Artificial Intelligence machines, monitor everything going on in the world including what you are doing with your laptop or mobile phones, and they stores it without you having any knowledge of it?
Do you also know that Google knows everything about you; both your family members, your friends, even any location you are in the world. Although this may sound confusing or childish I want you to know that the earlier you understand what I mean the better for you. Google knows all more about you than you think and you’re not aware of it. Google, through its sophisticated artificial intelligence machine, has an idea of what you ever search for through their search engine. (What do you think the auto-completion that comes up whenever you are trying to make up a keyword to search on their search engine is mainly for?) They have an idea of what you search for on the internet based on your interests or choices. (They will make use of what you search for and redirect them to their paid advertisers, Which will provide the service you are looking for) don’t even think that Google doesn’t have the exact location of places you visit on this planet earth…
I know you might be bored or you can say that am overhyping Google. But can we make a deal that after you finished reading How to stop google from storing and tracking your data?
That you will be more experience to have an idea of what Google does at your back.
So we are going to discuss this How to stop google from storing and tracking your data
By looking into these seven links below, which will enable you to ease off the way Google trace/store your data on the internet and to help you find out what Google is keeping on you. If your feel like this article isn’t that important to you or you don’t even care about whatever Google is doing behind your back. Then I’ll tip my invisible hat to you.
Note: for you to visit all these links that am about to mention below, you must be logged in to your Google account.
Note: This article was published in other to help or educate you on some factors concerning how Google traces/stores your data on their server. Please am not in any way 100% correct in this article, but I believe that with these articles you will be able to understand some basic facts on How to stop google from storing and tracking your data.
- Here is the number one information you won’t like Google to keep for you
Bear in mind that Google stores every search you ever make using their search engine. Every bit and nit of whatever you search. Not one is left out. The page where your activity is reported in Google is called “My Activity.” It’s a very, deep hidden section. Here is the link.
If you have visited this link, you can notice that this page reports all the content you have been visiting on your browser thanks to Google. It’s now left for you to choose from the three options for deleting what you don’t care about. The first option there is using the search. This is perfect if you’re worried that Google knows you’ve visited a certain page.
The second option you can find is the most obvious one. If you only want to delete searches from one day, it’s as easy as going to “Today” and then “Delete” (it will appear above).
When you click on the “Delete,” a warning will appear, something like “do you really want to do this, don’t do it! You don’t want to delete this information.” In reality, it’s exactly the opposite: this is because Google doesn’t want you to delete this information or took away this information from them. Bear in mind that even if you decided to delete all your logs nothing will happen to you. You’re not going to crash the internet, nor will your Google account be deleted.
If you really want to delete all your searches from A-Z? Then this third is the hit button that will render all your history empty. To do this just click on “Delete by topic or product” on the list on the left. Click on “Delete by date” and select “All time.” If you’re confident about this third option, then you are good to go click on “Delete.”
Done!
Read here: App tools that can be used to check if google Adsense banned your domain
It doesn’t end here though so there’s still another type of search remaining: YouTube.
- How to delete all your YouTube activity
Google also keeps a record of all your YouTube searches. Click on this link to access it. The option to delete your search history stands out.
Finally, please don’t forget to visit this link to delete the record of all videos you’ve watched been watching through YouTube.
- How to erase/clear every details an advertisers knows about you!
Now we have been getting on the most interesting part of this article chave you being bothered about how to stop Google ads from showing? Do you know that you can control the ads that appear when you use Google or its products? Again, the link is super hidden because Google doesn’t want you to stop seeing their ads: this link is the hidden access to the control panel for Google ads.
As you can see, Google knows that I like manga and anime, video games, and classical music…though I don’t know where my supposed interest in moving comes from.
If you want Google to stop sending your info to advertisers, simply disable the option “Ads Personalization” to “No.”
Again, Google will notify you that you don’t want to do this because then you’ll stop seeing ads related to your interests. Don’t listen: you know what you want, not Google or even me. Make the decision that best suits you.
- How to stop Google from monitoring your location
At the beginning of this article, I made so much emphasis on Google knowing |everything about you more than you can think of” now let’s see if this is true. If you are making use of an Android device, bear in mind that Google spies and keeps clean records of the places you’ve visited on earth with your device through a feature called Routes. You can access this super link click on this link to control how Google tracked your location.
If you want to delete the places you’ve been to, it’s as easy as clicking on the trash icon. Again, a warning will appear asking whether you’re sure of your decision or not.
- Apps that Google used in monitoring you
The Activity page on Google also offers a list of all the apps that access all or some of your data. Want to know who is “monitoring” you, to what extent, and how to adjust what they know about you? Here you’ve got the link.
- Are you curious to find out everything Google keeps on you?
This exercise will teach you to be aware of all private info that you’re giving Google without realizing it. Click at this link, Google lets you explore all data you’ve uploaded to their services: favorites, emails, contacts, Google Drive files…
First, you’ll select the service you want to include in this massive data export:
And then the type of file output.
I haven’t tried this feature myself but the Business Insider website did an experiment and one of their editors discovered that, for example, Google saved a photo taken of his puppy in 2013:
This info isn’t available to just anybody, so turn off your paranoia (though it’s normal to feel uneasy, I felt the same way). This tool is good for recovering everything Google and its products are keeping on you and, as I’ve said before, for helping you become more aware.
- setup your monthly privacy report
You can set up your Google account so that every month you get an email report about all the info that you’re storing on its services. For example, how many contacts are saved on your Gmail or how many videos you’ve uploaded to YouTube? Go to this link.
You only have to enable the first and the only option that appears above the list and Google will send you a reminder every month. You’ll know everything you’re storing on Google and act accordingly.
Bonus: below is the complete list of links that we have been talking so far
Since I’ve offered several useful links, here’s the list so you never forget to visit them from time to time. Please don’t forget to share this article: