Google Knows Everything, and I Mean Everything

[Ulic]

Well it is well known Google knows a lot about each of us individually. I have always known

when you search for something they will use that information to target adds at you. Of course

just your age and sex gives them a lot of information and when you turn 50 or there about

you can expect Viagra adds and other adds of that kind even though you have never

searched about Viagra. Then a few years ago I realized that key words or subject matter

contained in my G-mails were being used to target adds. That left me scratching my head a

little, but fine. Now I just got back from a trip to Saigon (HCMC) that had a train trip to Nha Trang

on the coast. While on the return journey from Nha Trang to Saigon I wanted to see where we

were and how much further to the Saigon train station (we where, very close) So I pulled

out my Samsung Note, brought up Google maps and looked at out location and progress.

We were just passing the international airport. A little bubble window opened over the airport

with the date and time of my departing flight which was in 3 days time at 3:50 pm. Not being

a user of Google maps on my cell phone before I was a little surprised. Of course I had

booked the ticket online. It was with Expedia. I had booked an Air Asia flight. (cheaper that

any option on the Air Asia website). Needless to say I was surprised that the information

had been transferred onto Google Maps. So I was a little creeped out my how much they

know. So it was no surprise to read today that Google will be soon out with password free

apps. They know who is on the other end of your mobile device without you having to input

a password. Just wondering if anyone else has had the same type of experience and

realized that Google may know you better that you know yourself. Nothing to do with

meta-data, straight up data.

[KittenKong]

The trick is not to use Gmail, to turn off all location sharing and to use a private browser window and an ad blocker.

[bkkmick]

A couple of months ago I was driving down Srinakorin with my kids in the car.

I wanted to find a car wash. So I asked one kid to look out left window and the other to look out the right window. As we were driving along we mentioned 'car wash' a number of times.

The whole time my android phone was in its cradle charging, I didn't touch it.

The next morning a message popped up in Thai mentioning a garage on Srinakorin and asking if it had a car wash.

Could have been a coincidence but I got the impression that Google was listening and selecting key words. Pretty freaky.

[bendejo]

I use gmail but 99% of the time I connect to it via Iron, a modified version of Chrome. All else I use FF. If I open gmail if FF I close the browser right after I'm done checking mail. I never keep browser cookies between sessions, both browsers have the option to automatically delete cookies on exit. Good way to go, I think.

Want to get your hair standing on end? Check out the google account dashboard to see what else they have on you.

[donnybay]

They only use what you let them know, plenty of ways to stop this

[Lannig]

To OP: you wrote that you booked your ticket online right? I'm sure that you were required to provide an e-mail address for this, and if that address was your Gmail address like I suppose, then I don't see what "magic" is in there. Gmail recognizes flight booking confirmation and e-tickets in the mail, it will remind you of your flight. Since Google Maps is tightly integrated with Gmail, I fail to see what surprises you here, or did I miss something?

[Ulic]

To OP: you wrote that you booked your ticket online right? I'm sure that you were required to provide an e-mail address for this, and if that address was your Gmail address like I suppose, then I don't see what "magic" is in there. Gmail recognizes flight booking confirmation and e-tickets in the mail, it will remind you of your flight. Since Google Maps is tightly integrated with Gmail, I fail to see what surprises you here, or did I miss something?

Of course, but that was not my point. Google collects so much data from so many sources it

has access to from the speed of your typing to the words you use to the gate of your walk

to the web sites you view (not just search), to the people you send e-mails to, the words you

misspell, the location you cell phone charges, the places it goes, the products you buy, etc....etc..

that they know to a reasonable certainty who is on the other end of your electronic devise that

they are about to offer password free app use. Yes there are many strategies. Turning off location

sharing, not using the Google search engine, not using G-mail, not accepting cookies, scrubbing

cookies when you leave a site or turn off your computer. etc...etc...But how well does this

really work. Do people who do this not get targeted adds? Is it all really a loosing battle. With

the amount Google knows how long will it be before government agencies have the same

information and more. I was just surprised at how well coordinated the information was. Buying

an airline ticket from a third party and information from the ticket specific to me is woven into

Google maps which I used for the first time ever on my cell phone. Just a little piece of information

that was both specific and somewhat useful to me. A reminder of my upcoming flight and time

of that flight. As I said, Google knows everything about me, and just about everyone else.

At least that is the way I see it and they coordinate and monetize that information incredibly

effectively.

[KhunBENQ]

Some tips to get the most out of your online experience:

Use one and only one unique email address for all purposes.

Email address should contain your real full name if possible.

Create one and only one unique Facebook account with your real name, address, phone number if possible, education and job history, add as many friends as possible who use their real name too.

Tell FB what they want to know. They only want the best for you.

Install Windows 10 and create a Microsoft account with your real name and as much personal info as possible.

Always use this to logon to W10, stay online!

Don't wast time with local accounts to logon.

Leave all the assistant (Cortana etc.pp.) functions untouched.

Create a one and only one unique Google account, see above.

Buy an Apple i-Phone, create an Apple account and let Siri help you too.

Always better to have a backup: buy an Android phone and use your Goofle account to logon to it''s Chrome browser.

If an SMS confirmation for secure your account, use it to make sure you haven't mistyped the phone number.

For all online purposes (forums, subscriptions, bookings etc.) preferrably use "logon with Facebook" or other existing account if possible.

Never waste your time with distinct accounts (names, passwords).

Got the point ?

[Ulic]

Some tips to get the most out of your online experience:

Use one and only one unique email address for all purposes.

Email address should contain your real full name if possible.

Create one and only one unique Facebook account with your real name, address, phone number if possible, education and job history, add as many friends as possible who use their real name too.

Tell FB what they want to know. They only want the best for you.

Install Windows 10 and create a Microsoft account with your real name and as much personal info as possible.

Always use this to logon to W10, stay online!

Don't wast time with local accounts to logon.

Leave all the assistant (Cortana etc.pp.) functions untouched.

Create a one and only one unique Google account, see above.

Buy an Apple i-Phone, create an Apple account and let Siri help you too.

Always better to have a backup: buy an Android phone and use your Goofle account to logon to it''s Chrome browser.

If an SMS confirmation for secure your account, use it to make sure you haven't mistyped the phone number.

For all online purposes (forums, subscriptions, bookings etc.) preferrably use "logon with Facebook" or other existing account if possible.

Never waste your time with distinct accounts (names, passwords).

Got the point ?

Yes I get it, but I don't use Facebook, I upgraded to Windows 10 and uninstalled it two hours later

I log off and turn off my computer after use, I never leave it running, I have never owned an Apple

product, desk top, lap top, I-pod, I-phone, or even Apple TV. I am very guilty of using one G-mail account

with my real information that I use for everything. All that said I think Google is even more powerful

organized and integrated than people think. Most (but by no means everyone) is fooling themselves

if they thing doing a couple of simple things keeps them anonymous and flying beneath Google's

radar. Big Brother is alive and real, not an abstract entity coming sometime in the future.

[willieaames]

I think that's really creepy. Can I turn it off and use password based logins? I don't need Google analyzing every move I make.

[Lannig]

@KhuBENQ : that was advice given tongue-in-cheek, I assume?

[KhunBENQ]

@KhuBENQ : that was advice given tongue-in-cheek, I assume?

Absolutely

Do the opposite to preserve some privacy.

[Happy Grumpy]

Don't bother having an adblock on my phone, hardly ever use the net on it.

Whenever I do happen to use it, Lazada ads certainly know what I've been looking at buying.... on my home PC.

[lagavulin1]

I bought 4 bottles of an energy drink for the first-time in my life at a super market in Udon Thani. Within a couple days said drink ads were showing up on my fb feed.

[Ulic]

I bought 4 bottles of an energy drink for the first-time in my life at a super market in Udon Thani. Within a couple days said drink ads were showing up on my fb feed.

I can see it, my Makro, Big C loyalty cards contain every purchase I have ever made from them.