The recent accusation against Google for collecting data from users during their private browsing highlights a crucial issue in the digital age: the valuation of our data by technology companies. This incident has raised concern and questions about why our online activities are a treasure for these companies.
In June 2020, three users filed a complaint alleging that Google executes “an extensive data tracking operation,” which persists even when privacy measures are employed such as browsing in incognito mode. Four years later, the company agreed to delete data collected while using this mode in Chrome.
Research by StockApps confirms that Google leads the way in tracking user data online. The Mountain View-based company tops the list by collecting 39 “data points” per user. They are followed in the ranking by Twitter with 24 points, Amazon with 23, and Facebook with 14.
“Browsing data collected by companies such as Google generally includes information about the web pages you visit, the searches you perform, the videos you watch on platforms like YouTube, the locations you frequent if you use geolocation services, among other data related to your online activity,” says Javier Morán, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at USIL. He also adds that this data collection may include details like your IP address, cookies that monitor your activity, unique numbers of your electronic devices, and sometimes, information about you like your age or whereabouts, especially if you have already provided that data on a page or app.
User tracking has an underlying strategy. According to Morán, a detailed profile of the user can be built based on the data collected during navigation. And based on this profile, it is possible to develop specific tactics to target personalized products and advertisements.
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