Want to know what Google knows about you?
Google knows an awful lot about you. What you do. Where you work. Who you talk to. What you write on your blog. What you watch on YouTube. What you are doing next weekend, the places you visit (Picasa), anything on Google Docs, your investments through Google Finance, phone calls through Google Voice, what is on your computer (Google Desktop), where you live and like to go (Google Maps) and of course what you are looking for or have ever looked for on the internet.
Of course, a lot of these are based on how heavily you are invested in the Google ecosystem. I happen to use just about every Google program, app, service, and feature. I even operate Google AdWords for my company, meaning I run the full spectrum from advertising target to advertising buyer.
Actually, until writing this, I did not realize how just how tied into Google I am. The only two Google products I am aware of that I dont use are Chrome, because I like Firefox better, and it does not track me in the same way Chrome does, and Android, because I have a Pre. However, I use just about everything else, which means Google has a hell of a lot of information on me.
If you want to manage all of that data, and have control over who gets what, and what is made available, go to:
https://www.google.com/dashboard/
Its a new service from Google, and I am a fan. In a very simple manner, they let you control what information you are willing to release. Whether you let Google make money on you or not is up to you. So far, I have not changed any of the default settings, because I understand that for the 'free' Google programs to be as good as they are, money comes from somewhere. I opted in when I started using each of those sites and programs, but I very much like that Google allows you to opt out.
Of course, a lot of these are based on how heavily you are invested in the Google ecosystem. I happen to use just about every Google program, app, service, and feature. I even operate Google AdWords for my company, meaning I run the full spectrum from advertising target to advertising buyer.
Actually, until writing this, I did not realize how just how tied into Google I am. The only two Google products I am aware of that I dont use are Chrome, because I like Firefox better, and it does not track me in the same way Chrome does, and Android, because I have a Pre. However, I use just about everything else, which means Google has a hell of a lot of information on me.
If you want to manage all of that data, and have control over who gets what, and what is made available, go to:
https://www.google.com/dashboard/
Its a new service from Google, and I am a fan. In a very simple manner, they let you control what information you are willing to release. Whether you let Google make money on you or not is up to you. So far, I have not changed any of the default settings, because I understand that for the 'free' Google programs to be as good as they are, money comes from somewhere. I opted in when I started using each of those sites and programs, but I very much like that Google allows you to opt out.
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