Posted on 05/13/2015 1:18:43 PM PDT by Swordmaker
Google probably knows more about you than your mother, your partner, your boss... but chances are that you have no idea of just how much it knows.
Fortunately, there's an easy way to open your eyes to the scale of just what the world's most popular search engine knows about you, your interests and your peccadillos.
You may find yourself squirming when you realise Google never forgets what you've been typing into its search engine over the years, but, at least afterwards, you'll be able to do something about it.
First things first, take a deep breath and visit: https://history.google.com/history/
Chances are you will see one of two things.
The first possibility is that you might see what I saw when I tried it — a screen telling me that I had disabled web history and had specifically forbidden Google from collecting my search results.
That was a relief, I can tell you.
But what you're more likely to see is something like this:
In the case of the anonymous guinea pig who graciously allowed me to screen capture their web searching history, I would have been able to trawl back through over five years worth of web searches, learning about their medical complaints, old school friends they were curious about/stalking, and perhaps even their taste in porn.
(Excerpt) Read more at intego.com ...
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Anyone that is surprised (or shudders) has not been paying attention.
This is important for both of your ping lists. . .
You've been warned.
I agree, but it cannot be said too frequently. . .
FYI Ping!
Who cares. View my life, I do not give a flying fornication.
That's like blaming the gun for the guy pulling the trigger, 9thLife. Google's management makes the decision to do evil.
Mmmm, doesn’t make me shudder. It would appear to just be the stuff I searched for. Bit of a history of FR discussions and movies I watched. Don’t assume the public square is private and don’t search for anything embarrassing unless you’re well obfuscated.
Fortunately, I saw the same screen the author saw.
Everyone is spying on me. They may be pretty bored even if occasionally slightly titillated. In any case, I’m retired. The hell with them.
There are more private search engines Ixquick, duckduckgo, start page, Tor web browser and many others. And another option you can use a proxy server to be anonymous
Actually, the company that knows your Internet searches the best is your Internet Service Provider. They can see all your Internet activity even better than Google can.
Is anyone familiar with or using “TOR Browser”?
My Daughter swears by it.
Wow! I quickly hit that delete from the beginning of time box. Nothing there anymore (not that it was really anything). I use Duckduckgo.com as my search engine.
I never, ever signed up for a Google account, though I do use Google Maps.
When Google bought YouTube, I dumped my YouTube account.
They have whatever they can attach to an IP, and that changes regularly.
I also use StartPage for searches rather than Google when possible.
No it’s not - but I understand that thinking it is, is the easy conclusion.
"Show me the man, I will show you his crime." — Lavrentiy Beria, head of Joseph Stalin’s secret police in the old Soviet Union.
That is why you and everyone should care.
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