When many of us use Google’s search engine, we tend to quickly forget that it is coming at the cost of surrendering a vast majority of our privacy online, with Chrome’s algorithm eliminating any sense of an objective view on the Internet (due to personalized content targeted to the user). It is easy to see why many see it as merely a search bar, though it is important to recognize how Google uses your data in order to make an educated decision on any potential alternatives for a browser.
1. Google Tracks Your Searches
Regardless of what device you are on, your search terms get linked back to you, which are all stored by Google in order to display ads which are targeted to you specifically. This takes place regardless of being signed in or not, which defies the common belief that being logged out allows one to browse privately, thus erasing any trace of one’s identity. This phenomenon can be found outlined in the Google Privacy Policy, in which the document states that:
“[While] you’re not signed in to a Google Account, we store the information we collect with unique identifiers tied to the browser, application, or device you’re using.”
2. Google Knows Which Websites You Go To
As Google operates one of the internet’s largest ad networks and analytics programs, it comes as no surprise that Google can track you with scripts and cookies within the ads that they host on other websites. Any website that has Google Analytics installed is simply yet another means of acquiring what pages a user is visiting as well as general demographic data, which can be viewed by Google as well to help make inferences.
3. Google Filters the Content You See On the Internet
When you use Google, the results you see are directly influenced by which websites you have visited in the past as well as what you are more likely to click on. This includes the full range of political news outlets that put out content on a daily basis, which can result in long term altercations to your feed and ultimately alter your perception on a particular topic or issue.
4. Google Offers Very Little Transparency
Though privacy statements give an intermediate level of understanding into how Google collects it’s data, there is still very little understanding about the algorithms that determine which ads people see. This issue is a reoccurring one found in a great many of Google’s products, and has caused the company to face fines in the past due to a lack of transparency (i.e. Google being fined $57 million by France in January of 2019).
5. Google Stores Google Account Search Data
In addition to maintaining data on ghost accounts, Google also stores queries which have been made under a Google Account, which could prove disastrous if Google’s browsing activity dataset were ever to be leaked following a successful cybersecurity attack.
However, many are taking strides to protect their data on the Internet, with Wave Browser being a top contender for free alternatives to Google Chrome. Installing the browser is as simple as navigating to wavebrowser.co and clicking the download link provided!
