Google is one of the largest search engines in the world, but this tool has gone from being a simple search engine to one of the largest information networks that exist. Many times, when we are using social networks, or the same search engine, we see that advertisements that are very aligned to our tastes appear, or that they are a direct response to what we are looking for or thinking about.
This is already so common that it doesn't really catch anyone by surprise, but what not many know is that this is a direct algorithm that Google has that is in charge of monitoring all users of this search engine to always offer you what is most want. This algorithm is known as Google Ad Settings..
What is Google Ad Settings?
Google keeps track of our most frequent searches, of our tastes, preferences and even knows what we deliberately ignore. All this information is collected to always offer us what we are looking for in the fastest and most direct way possible.
All this is done with Google Ad Settings, but what not many know is that with this same tool, we can also modify or "delete" that information that Google has about us. To enter this site we will only need our Google account. When accessing, we will be able to see all the options of your age, gender and the category to which you belong based on your searches and information that Google has collected from you.
In addition to this, we will also see a history of what we have searched for in recent days. Being able to see the recommendations that have been given to us based on our "recent tastes".
How can I change what Google knows about me?
Google gives its users the possibility of being able to receive help in the recommendations it gives. By accessing Google Ad Settings you can delete the data that Google has about you and give him those that you think are most correct. With this, the search will define your tastes more completely and stop collecting so much information about you.
This last section is important since Google, whenever you use it, will never stop collecting data about you, what you do, and your preferences. For this you would have to always use private browsing and not access your Google account.
Google in short, gives users the ability to change what it has learned from them and to limit its collection of information to some extent, but it will never stop collecting data about you, as this data is vitally important to Google since Thus, it continues to send this information to its data center to send advertising, one of the forms of income for the platform.
Step by step to modify what Google Ad Settings knows
If you want to modify what Google collects from you while you use the browser, or some social networks, you will have to do the following:
- The first thing you should do is go to your Google account.
- When you are there, you must click on the "Data and personalization" section in the navigation panel that we can see on the left side.
- Now, in the ad customization panel, we look for the "Go to ad settings" option, and click on that option.
- The next thing will be to activate the option that appears as "Ads Personalization", that is if it is deactivated.
- Now we go to where it says "How your ads are personalized", and there we will have to select our personal and interest information.
- If you want to delete your information of interest or a particular interest, you must click on "Deactivate".
- In the case that you want to recover a specific interest, you must choose the option "Factors deactivated", and look for the interest that you want to recover, and to have it, you only have to activate it again.
Google will always collect information and data from users when they start browsing, even if they do not have an account logged in, since Google will collect data from the IP from which they are browsing at that time.
We must always keep in mind that unconsciously we are always telling Google our interests and what interests us at specific times, this is done with the main objective that browsing, searching, and using Google is always intuitive and personal for each user.
Is it dangerous for Google to collect information from me?
This is something that Google has always done "for the benefit of its users." With this data collection, Google not only always ensures the best navigation, recommendations and searches, but also uses this data to improve its search algorithm, its way of updating itself and much more.
The fact that Google collects so much information can be a bad thing if you are aware of the repercussions that it has in the future: with projects that identify you more and more, without respect for the privacy and information of each person.