How much does Google know about you? – Infographic

TheBestVPN, a VPN review website, recently looked into all the information that Google knows about you – and the results may shock you. From your search history to your contacts and intimate online conversations, Google has an uncanny way of knowing more about you than literally anybody else.

So, how does the tech behemoth do it? Simple: Google tracks the information you input into its user-friendly and practical applications, like Gmail, Google Maps, and Chrome. By monitoring your online activity, Google grows more knowledgeable about your interests and habits; it then converts those details into targeted ads, which is Google’s key revenue source.

Here is an incomplete list of some of the apps we use the most, and what data Google can extract from them:

• Google Chrome: Browser and search history
• Gmail: Email correspondences and login info
• Ads: Topics of interest to you
• Google Photos: People or places you’ve tagged
• Google Fit: Your personal fitness levels and goals
• Google Maps: Locations visited and/or searched
• Youtube: Videos you’ve viewed, uploaded, liked, or disliked

Over the years, Google has made an effort to integrate their platform into almost every facet of our everyday lives. This turns into more dollars for them, and what they call a more “personalized” experience for you. However, some people aren’t comfortable with how much of their personal lives are available online, which is why many online users have begun to delete their personal accounts.

Here is what you can do to put an end to it:

• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
• Use private browsing
• Adjust your Google privacy settings
• Turn off location reporting
• Use a different browser and search engine
• Delete your Google accounts

To learn more about how Google tracks your online activity, and how you can stop it, check out the infographic below: