Prevent Your Personal Data From Being Included in Google Searches
Google has made some spooky progress in the past few weeks. Last week, thecompany figured out how to link real-life credit card transactions to its own ad network to improve the performance of its ad platform. This week, Google began experimenting with some users’ search pages: they will take your personal data and display it alongside some traditional search data in the hope that you end up searching through their classic search box.
A regular Google search displays a number of results that are not related to your personal information. In the same panel that displays images, news, maps, and other searchable data types, Google has expanded the Personal tab for some users. The personal tab displays results linked to your Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Photos. This means you can search for information, such as your flight date or a photo from last year, and watch it fill in your Personal tab. When asked if personal tab will affect your traditional search results now or in the future, a Google spokesperson told Lifehacker, “We’re always experimenting to make Google search more useful to our users. We have no further plans to announce at this time. “
Some search queries are already influenced by the user’s search history. The search data in Google Instant Results “is based on what other people are looking for and the content of web pages indexed by Google.” You can prevent accidental user data from affecting your search results by turning off Instant Search in the same way you can turn off the Personal Information tab.
Don’t like having your personal information displayed next to traditional search results? You can go to the Google privacy settings page and uncheck “Show personal information”. This will prevent Google from displaying your data alongside traditional search data.
This may seem like a privacy issue, but keep in mind that only you can see search results tied to the content you create. Google only shows you the data you’ve created in its own ecosystem. This is similar to searching for an email in your Gmail, except that you are using the Google search engine tool. On the other hand, this is just another example of how Google uses your personal data to sell ads and make money for you.
Of course, if you really don’t like how Google keeps your digital life this way, you can always try to escape . Be warned, this is much more complicated than it sounds.