Internet Users Have Limited Control Over Their Privacy
Last updated
Last updated
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
https://www.security.org/resources/data-tech-companies-have/
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
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
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
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
Local Newspapers
data is collected
Third Party Marketing Partners
data is collected
Advertisers
data is collected
Credit History From Credit Bureaus
data not collected