This is not the first report on the presence of Google online trackers on the internet, as other firms have brought this issue to the spotlight in the past. According to Atlas VPN, Google-owned companies like YouTube and Doubleclick make up 49.9% of trackers on the internet. This goes to emphasize the amount of user data Google collects from users around the world through various companies it owns.
Actual uses of Google online trackers present on the internet and its shortcomings
Understanding how the data Google collects from its online trackers works is crucial for those who constantly use the internet. To a certain extent, this data is important, as it helps online businesses understand how people interact with their products. This will, in turn, help them better serve their customers what they need. These trackers from Google are present across a wide range of websites. They collect bits of information from those who visit these sites and make an online profile for these visitors. The profiles are then sold to online advertisers to help them serve ads that the profile owner might need. For example, if a person constantly browses the internet for footwear, Google online trackers will add this to their online profile. The next time this person visits the internet, they will see ads about footwear from various sources. This is the main use of these tracking tools from various companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. But it’s not all rosy, if certain bad actors on the internet get a hold of tracking data from the likes of Google, its initial use can sometimes be violated. These violations then lead to privacy threats, which sometimes call for the intervention of governmental authorities. To protect these against such threats to online privacy, users need to consider using privacy tools like those in this article. Certain companies like Twitter and WhatsApp have fallen victim to user data breaches. These breaches expose the private data of some users, hence threatening their online privacy. In light of these occurrences, there is a need for Google to strengthen its online security, considering the amount of user data it holds.
