I'm reading through the Millionaire Congress Members thread and come to 1s1k's post regarding a website that tracks congressional trades. So, I open a new tab and start typing in the address bar to search for that site.

I make it as far as, "webs" and the first suggestion in the dropdown list is "website that tracks politicians stock trades".

How in the hell does Google know what I'm going to look for unless they're tracking everything I look at?

The other day I was sitting at home and thought of an obscure song from the 80s that pretty much nobody would ever search for. I found it on Youtube and listened to it. The next day, I'm at work and pulled up Youtube to watch something work related and that same old music video shows up on the page. Two different computers, two different locations, two different days.

Sonsabitches!

I don't like this one bit.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Gustofer,

Wait until someone tells you that you pay money to be tracked by your cellphone and all the apps it has. And the cellphone company makes money selling your data.

Vince

The other day I was sitting at home and thought of an obscure song from the 80s that pretty much nobody would ever search for. I found it on Youtube and listened too it. The next day, I'm at work and pulled up Youtube to watch something work related and that same old music video shows up on the page. Two different computers, two different locations, two different days


If you use the same YouTube login on both computers, that’s normal. What you look at stays attached to your account. You can get on any computer and use your login, and all your viewing history will be there.

If you ain't paying for it, you are the product.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
If you ain't paying for it, you are the product.

Yep.

I see people reporting this kind of thing and, in all the time I've been on the Internet/web, I've never experienced it. But, then again, I do not use

• Google for a search engine
  
• Google's Chrome or Chromium web browsers
  
• Google's Android operating system
  
• Google Google Cast (PKA "Chromecast"), Chromebook, or any other Google product
  

The only thing "Google" for which I ever log in is gmail, and I only do that on very, very rare occasions (maybe once or twice in the last two or three years?), and only with a fresh, private browser window. I look at YouTube videos, but I never log in there.

The little Visio TV we just bought the other day (still going through its initial 72-hour burn-in) did not get associated with our WiFi network. I did not agree to the ToS and other privacy violations to which they wanted me to in order to use the "smart" features in it. (It uses a built-in version of Google Cast for its OS.)

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
If you ain't paying for it, you are the product.

Yup - it a Social Dilemma

Not to mention, YouTube has been owned by Google for about 15 years.

quote:

Originally posted by Muddflap:
If you use the same YouTube login on both computers, that’s normal. What you look at stays attached to your account. You can get on any computer and use your login, and all your viewing history will be there.

Oh no, I get that, and I'm OK with that. Problem is, I'm not "logged in" to either Youtube or Google. There's no ethical way they could know that it was me at both computers.

Today while driving my brother and I discussed home solar panels and he related a story about someone he knows and the credits they got after the install. We looked up nothing on our phones. When I get home and start playing solitaire on my iPad I get a Power Home Solar ad pop up that I’d never seen. Yep, my phone was eavesdropping.

Yeah, I don't think ethics is in the Google dictionary. They have their nose in everything.

If you have Chrome installed you're being constantly monitored, whether the browser is open or not.
Just open Task Manager and see how many Google tasks are always running.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
If you have Chrome installed you're being constantly monitored, whether the browser is open or not.
Just open Task Manager and see how many Google tasks are always running.

Just checked 0 Google crap running on my puter!

Remember, way back when, Google’s motto was “Don’t be evil”?

Yeah, good times.

What I have done is go into my google settings and turn off any settings that tracks any history. I actually only log in to youtube to get notifications of new videos from my limited number of subscribed channels. Then I set up my browser to delete cookies or history every time I close the browser. I only use Duck Duck Go for search unless their results suck. Then I just use a browser with an adblocker so I never see or hear ads. I also use a browser extension that will let me suppress autoplay on embedded videos. I've done this ever since tracking first became a thing. Essentially, my web browsing experience is ad free most of the time even if they are tracking me behind the scenes.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Oh no, I get that, and I'm OK with that. Problem is, I'm not "logged in" to either Youtube or Google. There's no ethical way they could know that it was me at both computers.

They've connected those two computers to the same user long ago. Could be by your phone connecting at home and then at work. Could be a laptop you took between home and work. Those IPs and MAC addresses are logged and cross-referenced. They know where you've been.

I'm going to once again suggest that everyone run a network-wide pi-hole server with ad and tracker blockers on their home network. Don't use google's DNS, use unbound instead. They'll figure a way around it but at least make them work for it.

Most people that have had any online presence searching, following links, and such, already have a "digital fingerprint", and you can buy a burner phone in another city or town, and not use any services that you have to log into using previous identifying information, and with in a very short time, you will be "discovered" and matched to your fingerprint.

Understanding what is tracked, how it is tracked, how it is used to create a "profile" of each user, to the point that it takes very little to "see you" when you enter the online world, is troubling.

It's like a very well known person trying to walk around in public and not be seen.

And it will only become easier as time goes on.

Gordon Moore postulated computing power doubled about every two years, yet AI capability doubles about every 3 and a half months, so it is exponentially greater.

And all of this is not for the benefit of the individual, but to the "machine" we and technology are evolving.

The art of science of life imitating art imitating life.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
Remember, way back when, Google’s motto was “Don’t be evil”?

They didn't show the second half - "Leave that to us."

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
How in the hell does Google know what I'm going to look for unless they're tracking everything I look at?

I'm guessing this is a rhetorical question.

You have a smart phone, facebook app, google, they track you,

https://www.forbes.com/sites/z...ng-your-iphone-ipad/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/k...ess/?sh=504ed68bff93

https://www.businessinsider.co...ogle-tracking-iphone


Of course the solution is to have no digital footprint, which is difficult...

Got a Tesla, they can track you, your driving speed, location, time, won't be long until the sell it. You'll find someone creating a central database on driver habits by vin, name etc, you will get rated based on how you drive, where you really park, red lights you run, making your car send data in real time...

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Got a Tesla, they can track you, your driving speed, location, time, won't be long until the sell it. You'll find someone creating a central database on driver habits by vin, name etc, you will get rated based on how you drive, where you really park, red lights you run, making your car send data in real time...

Makes me appreciate my 68 Mustang more and more every day.