You’ll Shudder When You See What Google Knows About Your Web Searches

intego.com ^ | May 13th, 2015 | by Graham Cluley

[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.

[Swordmaker]

I just checked my search history.

I suspect that at some point you opted out.

[Sawdring]

Conveniently enough when you do a search for China Sex Tours For Midgets you get this:

The Dwarf Empire: China's theme park staffed by little people – in pictures

It might help to know if your seeking a Chinese midget or you, yourself are a midget and are looking to go to China on a sex tour. The GOOGLE AI isn't that smart yet.

[Lazamataz]

I don't care about that, either.

I don't care about much.

[minnesota_bound]

Your ISP knows when you are online and what sites you are at at any moment. Same for the cable tv company. They know what you watch.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

I believe one of the best ways to beat information capture is to overload them.

For a long time I have wanted to write a google search automated request. It would search for terms that I look for, mixed with a random term or two, and do it every 2-5 minutes for an hour, then take a break, then start it again.

Google would have so many searches from my IP, it would be hard to figure out the real from the noise.

[mlo]

"I suspect that at some point you opted out."

Just never opted in.

[right way right]

“and perhaps even their taste in porn.”

Tee Hee! Busted!!

[Swordmaker]

"I suspect that at some point you opted out."

Just never opted in.

There was a thread on FR several months ago about Apple blocking Google's SuperCookies used for this tracking and Google almost immediately finding a way around the blocking. . . and then Apple working to block it again. It does not require your opting in and works within browsers using these "super cookies."

[mlo]

Don’t know what to tell you. I have no search history and I use Google every day. The only thing I don’t do is log in to my Google account on the search page.

[TigersEye]

What are they going to do, tell my mother?
She has Alzheimer's so good luck with that.

I use Ixquick

[Taxman]

Apparently, they use Google after stripping your info out. I have no idea which is better, but I stay as far away FRom Google as I can!

[dayglored]

Privacy in jeopardy... PING!

You can find all the Windows Ping list threads with FR search: search on keyword "windowspinglist".

Thanks to Swordmaker for the ping!!

[hecticskeptic]

Ixquick and Startpage are the same. The different names is explained at the bottom of this page.... https://new.ixquick.com/eng/company-background.html? Because the name Ixquick can be somewhat difficult to remember and spell, people asked us for an easier name. We were happy to oblige by releasing Startpage (www.startpage.com) in 2009. Startpage is powered by the Ixquick search engine and offers exactly the same product and privacy as Ixquick.

[Taxman]

Thank you. Since they are the same, and I speak Ixquick, I’ll stay withem.

[servantboy777]

Well...problem solved. lol

[bhive]

Just watching TV and a ad comes on for Google. Example question they used was “ when is national coming out day “. This is outrageous !

Is there anything I can do to protest?

[Darnright]

Startpage and Ixquick are the way to go.

[Grateful2God]

I wonder if Google could track those emails Hitlary recently deleted...

[GOPJ]

Thanks