Google can track you even if you’re not logged in.
Dec
8
Written by:
2009/12/08 09:18 AM
Every one that uses Google to search is now tracked in the name of a better service. So according to Google.
If you have used Google in the past and you are a regular “Googler”, then you know that Google tracks your online activities while you are logged in with your Google account. The way to avoid this has been to log out from Google so that they would not track you any more.
All that has changed. Google now tracks people whether they are logged into their Google account or not.
Even searchers who aren't logged into Google in any way have their data tracked in the name of providing a 'better service'
They way Google does this is via Anonymous cookies. A cookie is a harmless text file left on your computer that stores information about you and the website you visit. The website then reads this cookie every time you visit to gather more data about you. Traditionally it is used in a good way. But often can be abused.
"What we're doing today is expanding Personalized Search so that we can provide it to signed-out users as well. This addition enables us to customise search results for you based upon 180 days of search activity linked to an anonymous cookie in your browser." – Google.
You can stop this activity by disabling cookies in your browser on your computer. But this then disables the use of all cookies for all websites.
If you are reluctant to do that there's still the option to disable the cookie by clicking a link at the top right of a search results page.
So what do you think of Google's new tracking strategy?
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