30 August 2023 , 15:14
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Ever wondered how much Google and other tech giants know about you? Most Internet users are aware that their personal data is being collected and stored every time they log in to an app or website, but most of us are blissfully unaware of just how creepy and intimate this data really is.
For example, if your ad personalisation settings are on, Google gathers small pieces of data from users on both its search engine and elsewhere on the web. While these data points won't tell you much about anyone on their own, they quickly add up—painting a picture of who someone is, what they like, and what kind of person they are.
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The reason this happens is because it allows tech firms to target you with highly personalised, relevant ads. This is why your data is so valuable to tech companies, as they can essentially sell users as potential customers to advertising companies.
Google's My Ad Centre lets you control what kind of data the search giant gathers about you - and what ads you see (Ciaran Daly)Fortunately, finding out what this data looks like is actually easier than you might think. Tech giants from Google to Facebook all have ad preferences dashboards where you can see all of the data that is gathered about you—and place your own personal limits on it.
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How to check Google ad preferences and opt out
First off, head to adssettings.google.com on your desktop web browser or phone. If you have 'Personalised Ads' switched to 'On', the page should show you a list of everything Google uses to target ads to you. If it's switched off, it will give you the option to turn it on as well as share a bit of information on the kind of data that is gathered about users.
For TikTok user @yorgoandlea, Google was able to tell her age, gender, the languages she speaks and even her interests. The search engine will also keep tabs on your relationship status, job, and whether you have children.
User data is useful to Google across a variety of appsLuckily, you can not only view your ad preferences on the Ads Settings dashboard but customise them. If you want Google to stop sending you personalised ads (and keeping tabs on you) all you have to do is click the toggle button in the top right hand of the webpage and change it from 'On' to 'Off'.
Alternatively, you can actually make your ads preferences more personal by giving Google more accurate information about who you are. For example, if Google has your age wrong, you can just change it on the Ads Settings dashboard.
But if you're like many people and would prefer it if a giant tech company didn't know intimate personal details about you, you can always switch off specific areas of ad tracking—such as preventing Google from using your Web & App activity to personalise ads.