How to Stop Google from Tracking You and Take Back Control of Your Privacy

In the era of hyper-interconnectedness, Google has reached an almost synonymous status with the internet. From maps and search results to email and cloud storage, its services are intricately integrated into our online existence. But all that convenience has a price tag Google is watching all the time. Be it your search history, voice commands, or even your live location, Google collects more personal information than users realize. Thankfully, there are a few easy but powerful measures you can take to reassert control over your privacy. In this guide, we'll show you how to prevent Google from tracking you and how to control or erase already collected data.

1. Prevent Google's Web & App Activity Tracking

Each search you enter, each video you view, or app you access within the Google network is tracked under so-called Web & App Activity. The default option enables Google to construct an in-depth picture of your behaviors so that it may tailor your experience. Yet for those who consider their online privacy sacred, this sort of tracking can be overwhelming having someone peeking over one's shoulder 24/7.

To turn this off, head to your Google Account > Data & privacy > Web & App Activity. From here, click Turn off to stop future tracking. You’ll also be given the option to delete your past activity and enable auto-deletion of future activity every 3, 18, or 36 months. For users requiring more control on a per-service basis, there's also the option to delete data from specific services such as Google Maps or Google News, or manually delete specific items.

2. Turn Off Location Tracking and Clear Your Google Timeline

Google's Location History and Timeline features paint a creepy detailed picture of where you are ranging from the spots you tend to return to to the roads you drive down every day. While useful for recalling where you left your car or monitoring previous travels, it also represents a major privacy hazard if not disabled.

To turn it off, launch the Google Maps app, tap your profile picture, and choose Your Timeline. Tap on the cloud icon to discontinue syncing location history across devices. Next, open the Location & privacy settings through the three-dot menu. Here you can completely disable Timeline tracking, prevent Google from backing up your location history, and even erase all of your previous location data. Just as you can with Web & App Activity, you can choose to have your location data automatically deleted every 3, 18, or 36 months for added peace of mind.

3. Disable Personalized Ads Across Google Services

Even if you don't mind some information being gathered for your convenience, you may object to targeted advertising. Google's advertising system uses your search history, YouTube history, search terms, and even your location to deliver ultra-targeted ads that stalk you from app to app or site to site.

To avoid this, go to your Google Account > Data & privacy > Ad settings. Tap into My Ad Center and switch off Personalized Ads. For added security, scroll down to Partner Ad Settings and switch that toggle off too. This limits how much of your personal information is made available to third-party advertisers, ultimately curtailing the ad profile Google builds up on you.

While it might seem like Google does know everything about you and technically does in a few ways, you are not helpless. By simply tweaking a few options, you can significantly decrease the amount of information Google gathers and stores about your online actions and physical whereabouts. These modifications will not hinder your use of Google services, but they will enable you to have a greater say in your personal data.

For additional tech tips, privacy guides, and digital security tools, be sure to visit our other AndroBranch exclusive how-to guides. Become empowered with the information you need to reclaim control in a data-driven universe.