If you want to know how much Google knows about us, these details will work
It is no exaggeration to say that Google knows more about us than our spouse. When the use of smartphones was not as prevalent as it is today, we would resort to Google in computers if we wanted to search something on the internet. Since then, almost everything we do on the Internet has been in the eyes of Google. Google's computer also remembers the day-to-day details (think how powerful this computer would be to be able to track the day-to-day activities of millions of people around the world and keep track of their daily accounts!).
After the advent of smartphones, Google (and many other companies like it) got a tremendous new weapon.
Before we had to go to the computer, our activities were not visible to Google when we were away from it. But now things have changed. Eighty percent of the world's Internet users have an Android smartphone in their pocket. The first step in starting to use such a smartphone is to open a new Google account or log-in to our Google account. From that moment on, we made Google our new and closer partner.
Due to the various sensors in the smartphone and the camera and microphone, the smartphone gets both eyes and ears. Smartphones can track our location. Because of this, almost everything we do on the Internet and off the Internet in the real world is now under Google's scrutiny. What's even more awkward is that Google can come up with new meanings and conclusions from all of this.
In a way, we have walked in front and accepted the slavery of Google and companies like it. Google offers a variety of free services. We have to take advantage of it. As a result, we have no objection to Google receiving our information in return. It is also important to acknowledge that in order for Google to be able to provide us with the services it provides - and indeed to be able to do so more effectively - it must receive and remember more and more of our information.
Fortunately the company has been largely transparent from the very beginning about the information that Google collects about us. Now, especially in Europe and the United States, the laws are getting stricter, so Google needs to be more transparent.
Whatever the reason, Google tells us what kind of data it receives, how it receives, and how it uses it. It also allows us to retrieve our data stored in various Google services. It also allows you to delete notes on our activities on Google's servers.
In this case, we have to decide for ourselves how much information to give to Google, how much information to remember and how much information to retrieve from it.
After reading this much, if you are interested in knowing how much Google knows about you, take a moment to check out the following 10 addresses.
All of these addresses are associated with one another, and once you've reached one address, you'll be able to move from one to another, but knowing the main address will work.
So much so that you can see all this only when you are logged-in to your Google Account. No one but you can see it all - except Google!
Write down from now on that you will feel a mild to heavy shock of surprise!
1. Google Dashboard
A place to literally save your entire horoscope on Google. If you use various Google services like search, gmail, chrome browser, calendar, youtube etc. you can see all your activity and data in all these accounts at this one address. No matter how many Google services or products you use, you can see everything you do in different devices here. You will also be able to make certain settings for each service or product from here.
You can also see some of the emails exchanged since you started using Gmail. It is also a good idea to check this page from time to time for security reasons.
2. Web-App Activity
So this is an extension of our Google dashboard. Here you will find everything you have searched for in the past by going to Google i.e. Google.com webpage, in the address bar in Chrome browser in PC or mobile, or in Google app or in other browsers if Google is set as default search engine.
In addition, whatever you search in the Chrome browser and other apps is also saved here. You can decide which of your data is stored on Google's servers, as well as delete all past history and determine if Google does not keep track of any of your activity.
3. Voice-audio
It is no longer mandatory to do thumb exercises to type anything on a smartphone. After typing on the microphone icon, Google types everything we say. Similarly, we can communicate with Google Assistant. Even if the car's infotainment system has Android Auto, we can do a lot of work with voice commands - all this is stored by Google at its own credit!
You can check what Google has heard and go back to the address below. You can delete whatever you want from it.
4. YouTube History
While watching YouTube videos, you have the convenience of watching videos in incognito mode, which means that our activity is largely (not completely) private. But most people don't care.
Everything you search and see on YouTube when you are logged in to Google account is stored in Google in the form of history. You can check and delete your search and watch history by visiting the following address. From here you can also pose Watch History.
It can also be seen here that you are writing comments on YouTube or other people are commenting on your videos.
5. Location History
You may not remember where you went two-three months or four-five years ago, in the morning or in the evening, but Google will.
Thanks to smartphones, Google can keep track of our every move. If you want and have never deleted location history, you can also find out where, when, how, and by what route you went on any date in any year since you first bought the smartphone. Which many other companies will also know through Google. From here you can also see where you frequently go. You can manage all this history from here.
And yes, just like YouTube, Maps now has the convenience of incognito mode.
6. Device Information
Now we are using Google in more than one device like laptop, tablet, smartphone etc. At that moment you can see all the devices in which you are using Google account on this one page. If you lose your smartphone, you can sign out of your Google Account on that device by visiting this page.
In case the phone is lost, from here you can take various steps like finding and locking the phone.
If a device you don't use appears here, don't forget to take immediate security measures, such as changing your Google Account password.
7. Password Saver
Google allows us to save our passwords in various services.
When we are opening an account for the first time in any webserver or app, this service can also suggest us a very complex new password. We do not need to remember this password ourselves as it is stored in our Google account and we can see it through our different devices. Even if you are not actively using this service, this service may occasionally ask you to save your password and you may have clicked Yes. All the passwords saved in your account can be seen here.
8. App Permission
This is a different permission than the permissions we give after installing various apps in our phone. We may have signed in to a different app or website with our own Google Account. Many genuine sites or apps offer such convenience. Such a service can access some or all of your Google Account details. It tells us what details it can see when we first log in with a Google Account. If you haven't noticed then, by going to this address you will be able to see which apps you have given access to your Google account.
9. Ad settings
One of the main reasons why Google collects so much information about us is that it can monetize it and give us many real services 'for free'.
Google determines our various likes and dislikes based on all of our activity on Google. You can see what Google thinks about you by visiting this page.
Google shows you ads based on your marital status, your income (not statistically, but higher or lower), your age, whether you have children, etc. All of this may not be accurate, but it will be interesting to see how Google makes assumptions based on our activity.
10. Data takeout
The most important point for us. Gmail, Drive, Photos, and many other Google services may have your unparalleled data.
So if you can keep your Google Account secure with the help of methods like two-step verification, all your data is stored more securely in Google's cloud. But if for some reason you want to get your data back, you can download your data from various Google services by going to the following address.
In the case of a service like Gmail, keep in mind that reusing the downloaded data is a bit tricky.
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