How Google can spy on you, but you can avoid it

Privacy is something very important for users when surfing the net. However, there are many factors that can affect our data. They can attack us with malware, steal information when entering certain pages, install programs that are not secure… In addition, services such as Google can spy on us. We are going to explain how they can obtain information from us and how to avoid it.

Google knows a lot about you

How Google can spy on you, but you can avoid it

In one way or another, we can say that we live linked to Google . We constantly use services that are owned by you: the search engine, YouTube, Gmail… Therefore, it is a fact that you know more about us than we can imagine. It can constantly collect data without our realizing it.

through searches

Without a doubt, a method that Google uses to be able to spy on us or learn more about us is searching . Anything you put in the search engine will be registered. It can offer you personalized results that are more tailored to your interests, previous searches, where you are, etc.

It is clearly the most used search engine in Spain and there is a lot of data that it collects daily. Without you knowing it, you are leaving traces with each search and you are accumulating information that Google will record.

Location

It can also spy on you through location. You can know where you are , where you’ve been, what sites you’ve moved to in recent months, etc. You can even go into Google Maps and see your timeline to check all this stuff we mentioned. This is valuable data for the search giant, but it can affect your privacy.

Think, for example, when you do a search on Google. If you put something like “what is the weather going to be like?” results will appear for the city or region where you are. The same if you do a search for “where to buy a mobile” or something similar, stores in your area will appear. This is so since it uses the location to offer a better service.

Other devices where you connect

But not only will it spy on you through a specific computer, but also from others that you can use. If, for example, you do a search from the tablet, it will link it to your Google account. It will know what videos you watch on YouTube, what searches you do, what you put on Google Maps, etc.

Basically you are going to have a control of all the computers that you use and in which you log in. It will know personal data or your day to day, even if it is simply by using a computer sporadically.

Email

Another tool that Google can use to spy on you and learn more about you is email. Surely you have ever bought a flight, a bus ticket or booked a hotel and it automatically appears in the Google calendar. This is so since it automatically reads the emails you receive and sees that information.

Therefore, Google can also spy on you through e-mail . You can know more about where you move, what visits, what dates, etc. In addition to any other information that may reach your email.

Tips to prevent Google from spying on you

So, can we prevent Google from spying on us? The truth is that you will be able to take into account some tips that will help you improve privacy. One example is using incognito mode so that Google doesn’t record what you search for in your account. You can also delete the history that stores your location, for example.

Also, another clear option is to use alternative accounts . Think, for example, when you use a tablet or mobile to watch YouTube. Maybe you don’t want recommendations to appear later or advertising about something in particular. You can use different accounts and thus separate them from the main one.

You can also use alternative services . For example opt for alternative search engines. In this way you will improve privacy when you browse, since there are some options like DuckDuckGo that do not record data in the same way that Google does.

Another tip to keep in mind is that you can choose not to link other services to your Google account. For example, third-party applications, logging in to pages by entering from Google, etc. This will also help prevent you from exposing too much personal data and further sharing it with third parties.