Before I even start, I'd like to propose a game. Read this article in its entirety and see if you can keep track of how many times the word "google" is used. Answer is at the end of the article.
Have you ever been scrolling through your favorite social media site, only to discover that every advertisement you see is directly related to something you'd been interested in?
Whether you consider that nuance a benefit of finding things you like or a downright invasion of your privacy - Google is to thank for it.
The Backstory
In my final year of graduate school we had to do an assignment that consisted of going within the depths of our Google preferences and determining exactly what information Google knew about us. I had a decent idea of what to expect considering the sheer amount of ads I had seen targeted towards me. Sometimes I wouldn't even remember researching and/or talking about a certain product and then out of nowhere it appeared on my social media feeds...it was as if Google knew what I was thinking.
However, when I actually started digging deep into what Google really knew about me, it was fascinating. From a very surface level, there were over 100 categories that Google designated me to be a part of. Some of these categories included my age range, my gender, profession, hobbies, and even credit cards I was eligible for.
How Google knew I was eligible for credit cards before I did is still a mystery.
If you're interested in figuring out what categories that Google designates you a part of, just simply type, "Google ad settings" in your search engine and click on the url that says "adssettings.google.com" or something along those lines.
What I Discovered
After doing some more thorough research, as my assignment required, I discovered something that many people already believed - Google actually listens to you.
Yeah, not only is every word you type into your search engine tracked, but every word you say around your Google Home, iPhone, or smart TV is tracked in a plethora of databases. Oh, and if you haven't watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix yet, Google then takes the information in these databases and sells it to companies who want to advertise to you on Google's platform.
There's a short video that went around a while back of a woman taking her boyfriend's iPhone and speaking into the microphone "engagement ring, engagement ring, engagement ring" in hopes that the next day he would awake to advertisements for engagement rings. And while the video was made to provide a sense of comedy, the overarching theme of our smartphones listening to us is still startlingly true.
If you'd like to learn more about this and how to potentially "opt-out" of these settings then check out this quick read.
Even Further...
Google knows where you are.
Ever used Google maps? In the same breath that your navigation helps you safely arrive at your destination, it also records data of everywhere you've been. In addition, without successfully opting out of these preferences, it will continue to track your location while not even using the application.
This same standard goes for any navigation app that you might use because (1) they obviously need to track your location for navigation, and (2) these tech companies want your data.
The Big Picture
At the end of the day, it's all about getting your information. There's a term used frequently today called "big data".
Big Data essentially aims to provide a term for the theory that information and data run the world. The more information that companies have, the more successfully they are able to accurately predict the products you will buy, the places you will travel, and the type of life you want to live.
Every bit of information that you speak or type throughout the day is processed by these big tech firms and transformed into something of monetary value - the compilation of which is known as Big Data.
So, while it's all well and good to use our smart devices, it comes with a caveat that we are all just pawns in a much larger game being played right under our noses - or at our fingertips for that matter.
Oh, and for those of you trying to keep track of the amount of times the G-word was used. The answer is 17.
Vin
Sources/Images: Cnet.com
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