You love google. In fact, if you’re like most people, you can’t live without it.
You use Google dozens of times a day and you might not even know it. Sure, you use the Google search engine to find everything from driving directions to your doctor’s office to your library hours to news updates and personal information about your daughter’s fiancé.
You use Google many times more than if you watch videos on Google-owned YouTube, save images to Google Photos, check airfares on Google Travel and much more. Still, there’s one thing about Google that scares you so much that you’re ready to stop using it.
Do not do this! If you’re concerned about Google ads that know too much personal information about you, we have a better, simpler solution to prevent Google from invading your privacy.
This is why Google knows so much about you
Have you ever noticed that Google ads know a lot more about you than you do? You know what I mean, when Google posts an ad about horror movies, for example, and you happen to be a horror movie buff.
Google is a bit mysterious when it comes to telling you how it determines which topics interest you. According to Google, “Ads are based on personal information you add to your Google Account, data from advertisers that partner with Google, and Google’s guesses of your interests.”
The good news, however, is that Google is a lot more transparent than ever when it comes to tracking your interests. The better news is that you can see which topics interest you to Google, then customize your interests so you can see ads that reflect your personality and lifestyle.
Or you can ask Google to stop tailoring its ads to your interests. You can’t turn off ads completely, however, targeting only brands and products that Google thinks you’ll love.
Tip in a Tip: Google’s new tool lets you block annoying ads.
Here’s how to tailor Google ads to match your interests
You need to make sure you’re signed in to your Google Account to make changes to how Google targets ads to you. Start by going to Google.com.
Click the menu bar, which is a box with three horizontal dots and three vertical dots in the upper-right part of your screen. Then click on Account.
Scroll down to the box that says Personal information and privacy. Tap or click on Ad Settings >> Manage Ad Settings.
You will see that ad personalization is turned on. Scroll down to see your interests – they’re what Google Ads find of interest.
You can toggle interests on or off by clicking on each topic. For example, you might find that one of your interests is American football – if that topic or other interests aren’t there, click the topic and then click Close.
Here’s how to turn off Google’s personalized ads
If you’re still concerned about Google knowing too much personal information about yourself, you can turn off Google’s ad targeting. On the screen, scroll back up until you see that ad personalization is turned on.
Slide the screen to off. Then click on Turn Off.
Remember, you are not turning off ads. You’ll still see ads when you’re on Google sites, including Gmail, YouTube, and other Google-owned sites. They will not be targeted at your personal information.
3 Ways to Search the Web Without Google Tracking You
Google saves your search history and tracks what you click online. If you need a break from monitoring, you have options. You can use a search engine that doesn’t flag your every move. Listen to the My Komando On Demand podcast for three ways to discover the Internet that might sound refreshing to you.
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