Internet Users Have Limited Control Over Their Privacy
User privacy has all but vanished in today's society.
By simply agreeing to terms and conditions for various services and apps you automatically give them access to all of your most sensitive data which is then used to send you targeted advertising and is also sold to third parties.
Information They Collect
Google collects and stores more information than other big tech companies by far. That’s not surprising, as their business model relies on knowing as much data as possible (and making it super easy for you to access). However, the company keeps a tremendous amount of data on you, the searcher, as well as the world at large. From your precise location to your browsing history, from your activity on third-party sites or apps to the emails in your Gmail account, if it’s data, there’s a good chance that Google is collecting it.
| |
Name | data is collected |
Username | data not collected |
Password | data not collected |
Phone Number | data is collected |
Payment Information | data is collected |
Address | data not collected |
Social Security Number | data not collected |
Driver’s license number | data not collected |
Email Address | data is collected |
Emails You Write and Receive | data is collected |
Stored Videos and Photos | data is collected |
Metadata of photos and files | data not collected |
Stored documents | data is collected |
Stored spreadsheets | data is collected |
YouTube comments | data is collected |
Contact Info from devices | data not collected |
Google collects your IP address, crash reports, system activity, date, time, and referrer URL of your requests, data about interactions between apps, browser and device type, application version number, app usage, carrier name, and operating system.
| |
IP address | data is collected |
Crash reports | data not collected |
System Activity | data is collected |
Date, time and referrer URL of requests | data is collected |
Data about interactions between apps | data is collected |
Browser type | data is collected |
Device type | data is collected |
Application version number | data is collected |
Carrier name | data is collected |
Operating system | data is collected |
They also collect your name, phone number, payment information if you’ve made any purchases through Google, email address, emails you write and receive, your stored videos, photos, documents, and spreadsheets, and your comments on YouTube.
| |
Search Terms | data is collected |
Networks/ Connections | data not collected |
Messages | data not collected |
Content | data not collected |
Videos Watched | data is collected |
Views and Interactions with Content and Ads | data is collected |
Video and Audio Information If Audio Features Are Used | data is collected |
Time, Frequency and Duration of Activity | data is collected |
Purchase Activity | data is collected |
Reviews | data not collected |
People You Communicate/ Share Content With | data is collected |
Activity on Third-Party Sites and Apps | data is collected |
Browsing History | data is collected |
Calling-Party Number | data is collected |
Receiving Party Number | data is collected |
Forwarding Numbers | data is collected |
Times and Dates and Calls of Text | data is collected |
Call Duration | data is collected |
Routing Information | data is collected |
Types of Calls | data is collected |
Privacy Settings | data not collected |
Google keeps track of your search terms, videos watch, views, and interactions with content and ads, plus your video and audio information if these features were used. They’ll also keep track of your purchase activity, and, if a third-party site uses Google services, your activity on those sites or apps. They’ll also keep track of your browsing history if you use a Chrome browser synced with a Google account. Finally, if you’ve used Google to make calls or text, then they’ve also collected the calling and receiving party numbers, forwarding numbers, times and dates of your calls and texts, call durations, routing information, and types of calls.
| |
Time Zone | data not collected |
GPS | data is collected |
Sensor Data From Device | data is collected |
Information About Things Near Device (i.e Wi-Fi Access Points, Cell Towers, Bluetooth-enabled Devices, etc.) | data is collected |
As far as location goes, Google keeps track of your via GPS, sensor data from your device, and information about things near your device like Wi-Fi access points, cell towers, or Bluetooth-enabled devices.
| |
Local Newspapers | data is collected |
Third Party Marketing Partners | data is collected |
Advertisers | data is collected |
Credit History From Credit Bureaus | data not collected |
Google may obtain your information from you from local newspapers, third party marketing partners, or advertisers.
Third party apps also collect a staggering amount of information.
Here is an example of some of the shocking additional information that Tik Tok collects from users.
- The videos you watch and re-watch
- The videos you comment on
- The keyboard rhythms you have when you type
- Your phone and location data
- Clipboard data
- Private messages and contacts
- Any information you share while creating your account
- Information from linked social media accounts