The Google search bar is a household staple. The most visited website in the world, Google hosts billions of searches every month, and many of us have become so accustomed to using it that we don’t even think about its importance in our daily lives. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the latest privacy policy update from Google, which states that although the company will still provide its free search service, your data will be used to make money from advertisers in other ways… Google’s Search Tool is Free But You’re the Product
Privacy Policy
Almost every major tech company has a privacy policy that specifies how it gathers and handles data about its users. In some cases, like Google’s, these policies are actually long enough to be confusing—but don’t worry: you don’t need to read through pages of legalese. Just pay attention to three key things: 1) where your data goes; 2) who can see it; and 3) what’s being done with it.
What does Google do with your data?
They collect data about you and sell it to advertisers. In fact, nearly $60 billion of Google’s revenue comes from advertising. It’s an incredible business model that’s built on a simple premise: data. Your data. They use it to improve their algorithm so they can show you better targeted ads when you use their search engine or surf YouTube or check your email.
What can we do about it?
There’s a couple of things we can do to counter Google’s data collection tactics. The first is to change our online behavior. One way to get around these tactics is not to search for certain terms on Google. The second way to prevent Google from gathering your information would be to avoid having an Android phone or tablet.
Final thoughts
Google is free to use. Almost all of their revenue comes from targeting online ads based on your search history and web habits. This means that every time you make a search or click on a link, Google collects data about you (and sells it to advertisers). Even worse—this means they’re actively making money off of you without ever actually paying for your attention.