They are unique to you if you’re logged in and Google has saved any prior web activity from your usage of Google products. If you want a semi-unfiltered presentation, minus any personalization, you could try Google Chrome’s Incognito mode, but even that isn’t 100% free of alteration, by some other industry research.
Google doesn’t agree of course. I can also attest to changes in my Google search results while out of the country. Especially Google News was affected by my location, which makes sense to a point. Getting news from where you are should be more relevant to a majority of users than news from where you’ve been.
Thanks for your well-written post, and thanks for the link.
I didn’t know that. Thanks for that info.
It makes sense, when you think about it. Google – in its self-assigned role as Big Brother – is endeavoring to control the world by controlling each individual individually.
Nope. Not interested in anything Google has to offer. I’ll stick with my Epic Privacy Browser.
Here’s something that really annoyed me recently. Maybe you can offer some advice.
I did some online shopping for a new battery for my truck, and a new pair of hiking boots. All of my searches were done using the Bing search-engine on my Epic browser.
Shortly thereafter, ads for batteries and hiking boots started showing up on my Firefox browser.
Google is the default search-engine on my Firefox browser. I never use the Google search-engine on Firefox, but I do use the Firefox browser for visiting certain websites that block the Epic browser (because Epic blocks their pop-up ads).
Epic supposedly blocks all trackers. So, how did information regarding my internet searches (using the Bing search-engine on Epic) bleed over to Firefox?
Did the leak come from Bing, or from Epic? — or from the vendor websites I visited in my searches?
Would this sort of leaking occur, if I used DuckDuckGo instead of Epic?
My best guess, the issue isn’t your browsers. It’s the site(s) you visit and what ad companies/networks those sites work with, along with cookies that are placed on your device(s). The gigantic, nationwide, mainstream sites do this, but even smaller sites are now doing it, for various reasons. This is a really good explanation of how ad agencies and ad networks use cookies along with trackers, in some instances but not all, to send you personalized ads across all of your devices.
The best part of the article is the end, where it makes some recommendations on how to stop ads from following you. Short answer, what you’re doing already with different browsers, but take that a step further and clear out cookies frequently, and reset your advertising ID. The big brands, like Google and FB, actually give you a lot of control over your ad history and ad presence online, meaning you can hide ads, hide yourself, turn off personalization, etc.
I’m in the camp of begin okay with it. I read a lot of free stuff. I want to give back to those sources who aren’t getting money directly from my wallet. If that means getting hit with ads, so be it. Internet connections are so fast now, my experience isn’t terribly affected by ads loading, even on mobile. And I run antivirus and malware. I’m more worried about a zero-day exploit that even the most expensive and up-to-date antivirus’ can’t protect me against. But that’s another discussion. I’m also completely integrated into the Google ecosystem, so they’ve got me by the ears. Chrome, Google Apps, Gmail, Android TV, speakers, Android Auto, android phone… they know more about me than my mother. Not a big user of FB, so maybe that helps some, who knows, probably doesn’t make a shred difference
@Clint
It is actually very difficult to avoid a company like Google, they are just too big a cooperation now. There are running a monopoly. You stopped using Chrome and Google search engine, simple. Now;
Where is your go-to sight for online videos?
What e-mail service do you make use of?
What about Maps?
Do you use Google translate? The list goes on…
I guess you make use of an iPhone but they a lot of people who make of androids which they also own.
Google is big and will be difficult to take down even by the government. Their services are widely used by billions of people around the world including the government. Hell I’m even using their keyboard “Gboard” to type this.
It’s wrong of them to manipulate elections, but are they really manipulating it on their own? The government will not take down what is helping it.
forexforexforex, I greatly appreciate your detailed reply.
And thanks for the NY Times article – it addresses specifically the issues I’m complaining about.
That explanation makes sense.
I was starting to think that I had over-estimated what the Epic Privacy Browser can do for me. But, I decided to review the features and options on Epic, to see whether I’ve been missing something. Apparently I have been missing something potentially important – specifically, the feature which Epic calls One-Click Encrypted Proxy, described below, highlighted in yellow.
I have to confess that I have never tried this feature. My bad. Maybe this feature would have concealed my identity from all those sellers of truck batteries and hiking boots. I will test this theory, and report my success or failure here.
Generally, I agree with that point of view. When we access useful content, we tolerate the advertising that accompanies that content, in lieu of having to pay a subscription fee for the access.
But, general, anonymous advertising – like the sort that you see in newspapers and magazines – is very different from the internet advertising that accesses your identity without your permission, and then follows you around, infecting every device it can associate with your identity. Okay, end of rant.
You’re right. I’m exposed to Google in every one of the areas you mention.
I frequently access Youtube. – I use Gmail. – I refer to online maps from time to time. – Occasionally, I turn to Google Translate. – And I use a Samsung (Android) smart-phone.
You tube, Twitter, Facebook - immune from libel / defamation suit on teh basis they represent the new “Town square” where opinions can be freely and openly expressed - But they are refusing to allow "Wrongthink " (Anyone to the right of chairman Mao) to speak
Sargon in the post above has never been warned yet he is de-mnetised and YuTubHere’s another who just refuses to bend over the alter of the Left and vaseline his own “ankle” ;o)
Edit because
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But why ? Attacks on free speech gone parabolic !
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