Google knows where you are… even if you don’t want them to
It seems like just about everybody has a smart phone these days.
There are many advantages to them. Including being able to quickly check the time, date and weather. Also, texting a friend or relative, taking pictures, using social media and using a calculator. Not to mention reading a news story, finding your way to a location, etc.
And, oh yeah, you can also use it to make phone calls. Imagine using a modern day phone for that purpose.
Anyway, smart phones can provide you with just about any information you’re looking for.
Using your location to make money
But they also give others information about you. Such as where you are.
Google knows where you are and they use that information to make money. They’ve also been known to share this information with others interested in discovering where you are.
Now, if you’re trying to get a ride from Uber or Lyft, it’s important for them to know where to pick you up. And your phone provides them with that information.
But what if you don’t want Google to know where you are? All you have to do is go to your privacy settings and turn off your location history, right? Wrong.
Turning off location history does no good
According to a recent Associated Press investigation, Google services on iPhones and Android devices track and store your location data. Even if you turn location history off in your privacy settings.
Turning off location history only “appears” to remove your location from the Google Maps Timeline feature.
Why is Google doing this? No, they’re not stalkers. I’m sure they don’t want to virtually follow people around.
However, they can make money off knowing where you are. How? By targeting ads based on your specific location.
Explanation changes… behavior doesn’t
When confronted with this, a Google spokesperson said, “Location History is a Google product that is entirely opt in. Users have the controls to edit, delete or turn it off at any time.
“We make sure Location History users know that when they disable the product, we continue to use location to improve the Google experience when they do things like perform a Google search or use Google for driving directions.”
Hmmm. Sounds to me like Google is trying to improve its own experience (by selling products) more than the user’s experience.
Clearly busted by the Associated Press investigation, Google made a change. Not a change to stop doing what they were doing. Just a change that admits what they’re doing so that they don’t get in trouble for lying.
Previously Google said, “With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.”
Three days after the AP investigation went public, they started saying, “Some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, such as Search and Maps.”
Apple commentator calls it “shameful”
An Apple commentator named John Gruber recently responded to this change by writing, “Google is saying, with a straight face, that it’s perfectly clear that disabling the feature named ‘Location History’ does not prevent Google from tracking your location history.”
Gruber then called this practice “shameful.”
Unless you’re willing to unplug, there’s little you can do to avoid being tracked online. But there are some ways to control what ads you see and how the ads are tailored to you.
Turn off cookies
Whether you’re using Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer, there are options to turn off your cookies setting. For example, in Chrome click “settings,” “show advanced settings” and then click on “content settings.” Once there, you can disable cookies.
Turn off targeted Facebook ads
To opt out of Facebook showing you targeted ads from other sites, or from seeing Facebook’s ads on other sites, open your Facebook page and click “settings,” and then “ads.”
Then click on the “ads based on my use of websites and apps” setting and press the “choose setting” button and select “off.” Once you turn this feature off, Facebook says you will still see the same number of ads, but they may be less relevant to you. It also won’t stop Facebook (and other companies) from tracking you. It simply means that information won’t be used to show ads targeted to you.
Go incognito
Major browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox and Safari, have a private browsing setting, also known as incognito. Using this feature means your browser will ignore cookies, including ad-tracking cookies and will not record your history.
What do you think? If you use a smart phone, do you care if Google knows where you are? And does it bother you that they might use this information to make money or share this information with others?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this.
I use Edge 99% of the time and very often, but not always, I use the option to use the ‘New InPrivate Window’ and I hope that works. I do get tired of the constant tracking, as indicated by the little blue circle on my cursor. (I think…LOL)
I hope this comment is not offensive. HEY! I believe it is quite comical.
Hey Frank, Zabby-Do here, how are you there? OK!!! Wunerful! Wunerful! Wunerful! (Lawrence Welk) In some ways I almost don’t care if they know where I am. I’m just a simple RETIREEEE enjoying my retirement. If I’m sitting on my toilet, they can let the Toilet Paper Manufactures know. Wouldn’t that be something??? Ha! Ha! Ha! Maybe they can figure how much Toilet Paper I use for WIPING! (for a price I would tell them, with a commission if they advertised it) My complaint is I am not included in the PROFITS. I would like (no want) a share of what any company would pay for any particular information about me. That’s only fair.
It makes me irritated and angry and am about ready to go to a land line. Can they track and follow your location with a flip phone? I am really ticked off that they take advantage of people when all we want is our privacy back!
Seems like privacy has become a thing of the past, I’m afraid.
Yes, it bothers me. I am using DuckDuckGo as a search engine. And blow out any cookies that a site might install without me knowing it.
what do old people do if they don’t understand the ins and outs of computer lingo…..where do I go to turn off cookies?
I don’t really understand the lingo either. But I go into the History and delete the cache and cookies every two or three days from my Chromebook. This seems to keep the machine going fast. If I don’t do this deletion for a couple of weeks, the machine slows down dramatically. I also empty the trash every day. I don’t think the cookies can be turned off. You need to find someone who knows more about this business than I do.
Some Senior Centers have classes that can help you/us learn more about the basics of using a phone and computer. Also try the library for help groups and classes. I’m headed there next– don’t track me ! I know that I am behind the curve, but don’t want my identity known.