What do Google and Facebook really know about you? It is well known that big tech companies collect data. It is fashionable, because every piece of information costs money. Not alone, of course.
The companies' algorithms collect every bit of information from your online clicks and build profiles. They then sell these profiles to advertising companies, who can precisely target your profile with things that interest you.
One of the companies that follows this practice is Google, the company that follows you when you're awake and when you're asleep.
Now, however, Google has been forced to reveal the data it collects, as there has long been suspicion that it collects too much data.
But what data are we talking about?
There's a page where you can find out what Google knows about you – and of course what it sells to advertising companies.
So if you ever wonder who you are, you'll find it on this settings page.
Google knows you very well. For me, it knows that I'm between 35 and 64 years old. That I'm interested in technology. It knows that I own my own home, that I'm interested in computers, that I read books, that I like restaurants and food in general.
Google knows I have a car and other vehicles. Google stores all your YouTube history so it knows what you watch and what you like to listen to. It knows if you're a parent, if you're conservative, progressive, Christian or Muslim, if you're depressed or whatever.
As for Facebook, see HERE and HERE
Facebook knows a lot more about your personal life than you think. Because of the company's increasingly aggressive advertising policies, Facebook can now monitor the entire web. The company compiles a list of personal information about each user, including important life events and general information.
Of course, all of this with your permission since during your registration you agreed to the Terms of Use of the service.
Facebook has published a new portal to inform and educate its members about targeted advertising and preferences in ad settings, trying to make the line it follows more understandable.
The portal's tools reveal 98 personal data points that Facebook uses to target the page's ads specifically to you.
There are many obvious characteristics that Facebook knows about its users, such as whether you got married, whether you just returned from vacation, or whether you're having a baby. Most of this personal data is collected when you post something on Facebook or update your profiles.
But then there are also some things that are definitely not voluntarily submitted, like the number of credit cards you have, whether you are an investor, what you invest in, whether there is a balance on your credit card, whether you use coupons, and whether you are likely to move.
The Washington Post has tried to collect all the information that the largest social network collects. Imagine the information listed below in the hands of advertisers. For those who doubt its value, remember that Facebook built a $355 billion empire almost entirely on it.
What Facebook knows about you:
- Location
- Age
- Generation
- Genus
- Language
- Education Level
- Field of study
- School
- Affinities
- Income from your job
- Homeownership and type
- House price
- Property size
- Squares of the house
- The year the house was built
- Household composition
- Users who have an anniversary within 30 days
- Users who are away from family or home
- Users who are friends with someone who has an anniversary, got married or hired, or recently moved, or has a birthday coming up
- Users with long-distance relationships
- Users with new relationships
- Users who have new jobs
- Recently working users
- Newlyweds
- Users who have recently moved
- Users who have their birthdays coming up soon
- Parents
- Future parents
- Mothers, divided into "types" (classical, modern, etc.)
- Users likely to be involved in politics
- Conservatives and liberals
- Relationship status
- Employer
- Industry
- Job title
- Office type
- Interesting
- Users who own motorcycles
- Users who plan to buy a car (and what type/brand of car, and how soon)
- Users who buy car parts or have recently bought parts
- Users who are likely to need car parts or services
- The style and make of the car you drive
- The year you bought the car
- Age of the car
- How much money is someone likely to spend on their next car?
- Where is the user most likely to buy their next car from?
- How many employees work in your company?
- Users who own small businesses
- Users who work in management or are executives
- Users who have donated to charity
- Operating system
- Users playing games
- Users who own a game console
- Users who have created an event on Facebook
- Users who have used Facebook Payments
- Users who have spent above average on Facebook Payments
- Users who manage a Facebook page
- Users who have recently uploaded photos to Facebook
- The internet browser
- The email service
- Early or late adoption of new technology
- Homogeneous
- Users who belong to a credit union, national bank, or regional bank
- Users who invest (total and separately depending on the type of investment)
- Number of credit cards
- Users who frequently use credit cards
- Credit card type
- Users who have debit cards
- Users who have money on their credit card
- Users listening to radio
- Preference for TV shows
- Users using a mobile device (overall and separately depending on the brand they use)
- Internet connection type
- Users who recently acquired a smartphone or tablet
- Users who access the Internet via a smartphone or tablet
- Users using coupons
- Types of household and clothing purchases
- Which month of the year does each user make the most purchases?.
- Users who purchase beer, wine, or general alcoholic beverages
- Users who buy from grocery stores (and what items)
- Users who buy beauty products
- Users who buy allergy medications, cough medicines, cold medicines, pain relief products, and users who buy too many medications
- Users spending money on household products
- Users who spend money on products for children or pets
- Users whose most purchases are for household products
- Users who tend to shop online (or offline)
- Types of restaurants that each user likes
- The types of stores you prefer
- Users who are “receptive” to offers from companies offering online car insurance, higher education or mortgages, and prepaid debit cards or satellite TV
- How much time does an average user spend indoors?
- Users likely to move soon
- Users interested in the Olympics, football, cricket Ramadan etc
- Users who travel frequently, for work or leisure
- Users who commute to work
- Types of vacations each user takes
- Users who recently returned from a trip
- Users who have recently used travel apps
- Users who share their time to help others
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