Are You Ready? All the Data Facebook and Google Have On You

[Flash]

Are You Ready? All the Data Facebook and Google Have On You
Too much info to summarize. You'll have to read the article.

[tallboy]

I met a small problem at once when reading: If I follow the links to personal info, I have to log in to Google to see what they have stored about me.

Well, I don't have an account with Google or Facebook, and I don't want to make them. I don't have a smartphone, and my old PCs and mobile phone are not equipped with GPS. All my browser settings also prevent using any Google services.

So my question is; do they store any info related to me, as long as I am not registered, and if so - how do I find that info?

[belham2]

I met a small problem at once when reading: If I follow the links to personal info, I have to log in to Google to see what they have stored about me.

Well, I don't have an account with Google or Facebook, and I don't want to make them. I don't have a smartphone, and my old PCs and mobile phone are not equipped with GPS. All my browser settings also prevent using any Google services.

So my question is; do they store any info related to me, as long as I am not registered, and if so - how do I find that info?

Hi tallboy,

We are both in the same boat. I suspect a lot of us regulars here (on murga) are the same. I've no Google Account, no Facebook either, and I strip out everything from Firefox/Palemoon that concerns Google services (especially that privacy stelaing "SafeBrowsing" crap).

I suspect Google has a machine (or machines) profile(s) of us somewhere, but that article Flash linked to is more geared towards people who have "active" Google accounts, especially ones who log in to their Google account, yet still surf the web while doing other things. That's where Google focuses on, and develops incredible prediction and fairly accurate models of who you are, your likes/dislikes, etc, etc.

The grey area for people like us is our ISPs that we use to get on the Net. Unbeknownst to most people (especially in Europe), ISP providers use Googles widespread DNS machines. Thus, the questions becomes, are the ISPs sharing the info they have on us with Google. If they are, despite the privacy laws being passed (and many think this is happening), then, yes, they have us & our profiles somewhere in their phalanx of worldwide servers.

They just can't show it directly to us, because of the possible (and previously alluded to) "legal" problems.

As for Facebook, they are a bit easier. If you've never had a Facebook account, then it is most likely they have virtually zippo on you. If you have a Facebook account, then, quite honestly, even compared to Google, Facebook owns you thoroughly. They store a frightening amount of whatever you do online when launching from the ecosystem of Facebook.

I may get flamed for this, but I believe people are better off sticking with Apple and Google. Facebook is just too creepy, and what many of us have complained about them (and their Silicon Valley/Wall Street supporters) for years is just now coming to light.


Something's gotta change, and I hope Facebook is the first to be brought to the woodshed for what they've been doing. Then, I hope Google gets brought in too. Ironically, the reason Google split its stock many years ago was the very talk of this surfacing one day.

...and now, lol, here it is.

[8Geee]

Google your real name... or use any search engine.

Then Google, or just search, each of your nicnames (esp. mail name).

Some folks are lucky enough to have a famous person, or many people with the same name... not many though.

I don't think anyone is immune.

Regards
8Geee

[tallboy]

I have DuckDuckGo and Google as search engines in my Palemoon, and I have to confess that I use Google more frequent than DDG. I remember reading that if you enter an incomplete address in the urlbar, it will be completed - and registered - by the search engine. I rely on my memory to write the complete addresses, but I know that I am sinning now and then.

BTW: I saw on the news that the US Foreign Office have released a suggestion that anyone applying for a visa to US, should have their last 5 year's activity on social media scrutinized, before a visa was granted.
I really don't know why, most foreign terrorists probably wouldn't bother getting a visa anyway, they know that US citicens are much better at killing each other!

[musher0]

Hi Tallboy,

if I may, you should use startpage instead of Google. It uses Google, but in such a
way that your anonymity is respected. https://startpage.com/do/search

About personal data thieves and collectors such as Facebook and Google, someone
with the knowledge should start training squadrons of Internet corsairs (pirates working
for the common good) to f... up their sites and databases big time.

Just my opinion.

BFN.

[8Geee]

Tallboy:

Generally autocomplete is a function of the browser. Also, the browser might cherry-pick their browser 'friends'. have a peek into the browser and search for auto. Then search for engine.

This may be enlightening.

Regards
8Geee

[tallboy]

if I may, you should use startpage instead of Google. It uses Google, but in such a way that your anonymity is respected. https://startpage.com/do/search

Thank you, musher0, I'll test it..

Thank you 8Geee. Only a brainfart on my side, of course I know that autocompletion is a browser function...