Google spying.

[G-CPTN]

Am I correct in thinking that I cannot restrict Google's 'intrusion' (collecting my parameters) unless I 'join' their 'My Account'?

[Bushfiva]

Nope.Nope.

[Loose rivets]

Back to you G-C, to disambiguate the question. :}

[lomapaseo]

I thought it was the other way around.

The way to restrict google was by not joining their account

[Bushfiva]

Sorry I was terse. Partly, I figured from the tone of the title, OP would probably just want to discuss the evils of Google rather than actually do something, and understand the results of doing it.

So, if you do think it's worth defending yourself against Google and its dastardly desire to show you an ad or two, you might want to consider:

The 95 members of the National Advertising Initiative who give you the option of opting out of targeted ads: Consumer Opt-out | NAI: Network Advertising Initiative (http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices). Also the thousands of other ad companies that don't provide that option.

The little Facebook "F" icon you see on so many pages, and what information Facebook acquires through it.

Filter bubbles: Escape your search engine Filter Bubble! (http://dontbubble.us/)

The way your search terms are passed to sites you visit as a result of the search you just made.

The colossal amount of information your antivirus software collects on you, including every URL you visit. And if you're using AVG Free, for example, that information is resold.

Your Android phone has a unique Google Advertising ID which can be reset but not blocked.

Your iPhone has a unique Advertising Identifier which can be reset but not blocked.

Finally, if you DO manage to block all cookies from everyone everywhere, sites like mine don't really care because we simply track you by browser fingerprint: check how unique you are here (https://panopticlick.eff.org/index.php?action=log&js=yes).

So, it's fashionable to target Google, but it's like pulling hair out of a rat, and believing the rat is now hairless.

[G-CPTN]

I have seen warnings that Google will collect (and use) parameters from my activities (and send 'appropriate' messages).
I already receive emails from eBay about items 'of interest'.

I choose not to frequent the book of faces, as I don't want my information to be catalogued, but how do I avoid being embroiled by Google?

[Bushfiva]

You can opt out of Google Analytics here (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en) if your browser supports the extension.

You can opt out of a couple of other things elsewhere on Google, and reset your ad ID as often as you want.

Third-party add-ons can block cookies, show what domains are requesting info on a particular page and let you block them, and so on.

You may want to check out an add-on called Disconnect or Ghostery.

Re Facebook, you don't have to be a member or otherwise use it, to be tracked for advertising purposes.

[ExXB]

Or use https://duckduckgo.com/tour ; They don't track you.


...and did we mention we don't track you?

[Carrier]

G-CPTN

I recommend you browse through these and make a start by acting on the suggestions about halfway down in the first article:

https://bananas.liberty.me/youre-a-criminal-in-a-mass-surveillance-world-how-to-not-get-caught/

https://www.bestvpn.com/blog/28721/5-best-vpn-services-october-2015-update/

https://www.torproject.org/index.html.en

NSA Offers Tips for Hardening Macs ? But There?s a Catch | The Mac Security Blog (http://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/nsa-tips-for-hardening-macs/)

Macworld March 2013 Backup and Security articles
Macworld December 2013 Snoop-Proof Your Mac, NSA-Style



Then take a look through these websites:

https://www.eff.org/

Privacy | World news | The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/world/privacy)

https://privacyinternational.org/

[India Four Two]

Or use https://duckduckgo.com/tour ; They don't track you.


+1.

Additionally, if you are not happy with duckduckgo's search results, you can add !g to your search string and an anonymous request is sent to Google.

[jimjim1]

"Re Facebook ..."

For no special reason I have kept a low profile on t'interwebby. It just seemed the thing to do since I first became aware of it in the '90s.

About a year ago someone set up a facebook account pointing my main email address (gmail) to it, presumably as a secondary address. I stupidly, it turns out years n years later, used my normal unaltered real name as my account name. Yes I really have [email protected], except it's not john smith. I tried to take over the facebook account but I was not able to get through all the security questions.

More recently I have been getting "do you know ..." messages from facebook telling me about people I really do know. Very strange. No idea how facebook knows about them unless google are selling them my contact list from my email. Or the phone maybe, I also use that gmail account on the phone and I have used a few apps.

Of course whoever set up the facebook account is also getting information about people I know.

I don't find it worrying (perhaps I should?), but it is interesting.

[Bushfiva]

Others have probably given Facebook permission, either wittingly or unwittingly, to import all their phonebook contact information into Facebook. Facebook then uses this info to encourage you to join Facebook or use Facebook more.

[cdtaylor_nats]

I decided Google can do no wrong when I discovered the built-in Kevin Bacon function. Type in the name of an actor/writer/producer and then bacon number and it tells you the degrees of separation.