How can I save my personal data from tracking?

There are widespread discussions on the fact that big companies including Google, Amazon and Facebook are actively involved in collecting our personal data. Looking from a long time perspective, this can be a big problems for us giving rise to concerns such as how will this data be used, who will gain access to this data and will it challenge our freedom and many others. Now without delving deep in these lines, let us know how to save your personal data from tracking.

How can you keep Google from using your personal information?

The easiest and the straightforward way to stop Google use your personal information is to delete your Google account. However, we all know that Google Accounts are indispensable for us in today’s technology governed environment. Instead of taking this route, here we learn the ways in which you can neuter your Google Account so that you can still continue to have it without worrying about the data-collecting threat.

How to stop Google collecting more data?

This first way out is to stop Google collecting more data about you. To do this, you must do some settings with regard to ‘Activity Controls’ and ‘Ad Settings’.

How to work with ‘Activity Controls’?

Google tracks all of your activity on the web, how you use different apps, your location history, device information, voice and audio activity, YouTube watch and search history. To turn all these things off, pause the web and app activity. Once you turn them off on your phone, you are not disabling the location services, you are only telling Google that they can’t always keep tracking your phone.

How to work with Ad Settings?

Google was primarily an advertising firm. Their objective is to serve the customers with the best and the most relevant ads possible. According to Google, the best ads will mean those ads that will successfully push you into buying something. Google achieves this by personalizing the ads to suit your exact situation. By turning off the ad personalization, you can remove Google’s mind control power over you. In addition, you must also turn off Shared Endorsements which will give you buying suggestions based on what others have bought.

How to make changes in Privacy checkup?

This is a place where Google lets you set your chosen privacy settings. It covers Ad Settings and Activity Controls and other privacy settings for photos and YouTube. Once you are in this section, make a thorough review of the security check up and delete the applications and devices that are out of date or not familiar to you. Remove all those app permissions that will no longer be needed.

How to delete the data already there?

Use Google Takeout to backup anything you wish to keep. While doing this, you can select the data to include. You can export a copy of the backup and also manage your archives. Under ‘My Activity’ Google keeps a track of all the data about you. By going there you can see what they have gathered about you. Go to ‘Delete Activity By . . .’ Select ‘All Time’ and then hit ‘Delete’.