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[Shackeng]

As most of you know I am a techno numpty, so can anyone explain what is going on here. For the last few days, when I go on to google on our iPad, it immediately offers the sites that I have been looking at on my PC. I have not knowingly set up any network between them, so how the h**l does Google/Apple know what I was looking at on the PC?

[tunnie]

Ha, you do know everything you browse is linked into smart advertising?

I can browse for say Socket sets on Amazon or eBay, they would then appear as 'Suggested' adverts for exact products I was looking at on a Facebook feed or via targeted emails.

Google monitor all the data, why do you think they have become so rich? 

[Lizzie Zoom]

Take a look at this article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/12042781/Google-D-Wave-quantum-computer-is-100-million-times-faster-than-your-PC.html

Google are not in all that investment for fun; it is a very serious commercial business, with almost 1 million servers

PS I bet TB dreams of having all that computer power!

[zirk]

As most of you know I am a techno numpty, so can anyone explain what is going on here. For the last few days, when I go on to google on our iPad, it immediately offers the sites that I have been looking at on my PC. I have not knowingly set up any network between them, so how the h**l does Google/Apple know what I was looking at on the PC?

Have you signed In to Google on both the Browsers? if so there linked together.

Although I run Android over Win Mobile these days I still refuse to have Google Services installed on my Phone, its its about +300mb for App size now days, yea right, doing what exactly. Some Apps will say "This App needs Google Services to Run, Install Now!", most Apps that are not Google related will run fine, if they dont, then they get uninstalled as I dont wont them. 

[Shackeng]

As most of you know I am a techno numpty, so can anyone explain what is going on here. For the last few days, when I go on to google on our iPad, it immediately offers the sites that I have been looking at on my PC. I have not knowingly set up any network between them, so how the h**l does Google/Apple know what I was looking at on the PC?

Have you signed In to Google on both the Browsers? if so there linked together.

Although I run Android over Win Mobile these days I still refuse to have Google Services installed on my Phone, its its about +300mb for App size now days, yea right, doing what exactly. Some Apps will say "This App needs Google Services to Run, Install Now!", most Apps that are not Google related will run fine, if they dont, then they get uninstalled as I dont wont them. 

What does that mean exactly? I use google as a search engine on both, and have a google mail account on the PC which I, very rarely, use it to log in to faceache, (its the only way I know how to. ) I have never used googlemail on the ipad.

[Mr Skrunts]

There was a panorama episode all about Facebook and what it know about us. and they know a hell of a lot more about us than I realised.

[tunnie]

As most of you know I am a techno numpty, so can anyone explain what is going on here. For the last few days, when I go on to google on our iPad, it immediately offers the sites that I have been looking at on my PC. I have not knowingly set up any network between them, so how the h**l does Google/Apple know what I was looking at on the PC?

Have you signed In to Google on both the Browsers? if so there linked together.

Although I run Android over Win Mobile these days I still refuse to have Google Services installed on my Phone, its its about +300mb for App size now days, yea right, doing what exactly. Some Apps will say "This App needs Google Services to Run, Install Now!", most Apps that are not Google related will run fine, if they dont, then they get uninstalled as I dont wont them. 

What does that mean exactly? I use google as a search engine on both, and have a google mail account on the PC which I, very rarely, use it to log in to faceache, (its the only way I know how to. ) I have never used googlemail on the ipad.

Google itself, you can sign in to customise various elements.

When you go to google.co.uk, top right hand corner, does it indicate you are signed in?

[Shackeng]

As most of you know I am a techno numpty, so can anyone explain what is going on here. For the last few days, when I go on to google on our iPad, it immediately offers the sites that I have been looking at on my PC. I have not knowingly set up any network between them, so how the h**l does Google/Apple know what I was looking at on the PC?

Have you signed In to Google on both the Browsers? if so there linked together.

Although I run Android over Win Mobile these days I still refuse to have Google Services installed on my Phone, its its about +300mb for App size now days, yea right, doing what exactly. Some Apps will say "This App needs Google Services to Run, Install Now!", most Apps that are not Google related will run fine, if they dont, then they get uninstalled as I dont wont them. 

What does that mean exactly? I use google as a search engine on both, and have a google mail account on the PC which I, very rarely, use it to log in to faceache, (its the only way I know how to. ) I have never used googlemail on the ipad.

Google itself, you can sign in to customise various elements.

When you go to google.co.uk, top right hand corner, does it indicate you are signed in?

Ah, you've discovered it, it appears I must have signed in at some time, as when I clicked on an 'S' in the corner it came up with my gmail address, and the option to sign out. Thanks very much.

[STEMO]

Then you’ll log into faceache and off we go again.

[Shackeng]

Then you’ll log into faceache and off we go again.

I very rarely use FB, and must have only done so once on the iPad, so that is a warning to me to be more careful. I still don't understand how the iPad knew what sites I had used on the PC, unless it is Google that knew, which again is frightening.

[Lizzie Zoom]

Then you’ll log into faceache and off we go again.

I very rarely use FB, and must have only done so once on the iPad, so that is a warning to me to be more careful. I still don't understand how the iPad knew what sites I had used on the PC, unless it is Google that knew, which again is frightening.

It is not just the likes of Google; your electronic footprint is everywhere out there, with no chance of hiding.  

[aaronjb]

I imagine Google do know.

If you use Google they log everything you do and every piece of meta data they can get their hands on which likely includes your IP address, browser meta data and so on. (These days that includes things like - what fonts are installed on your PC, how your audio drivers behave, timings, OS version.. everything they can collect so that they can still tell it's "you" whether or not you've cleared your cookies, deleted your browser history, recited the mantra and logged out of all services. Google Browser Fingerprinting and read some of the university papers on it if you want to be really frightened!)

When you browse from another device in your house some of that meta data will certainly match (IP address, for one) and they'll use that to determine it's probably "you" and serve you ads for things you've searched for.

Google do it, Facebook do it, Youtube do it, Yahoo do it.. anyone providing a service for 'free' will do it.


If you don't like it - don't use the internet! Definitely don't use any major search engine - try Duck Duck Go, who do no tracking.

Of course, that won't help you when most websites use Google AdSense and/or AdWords for their advertising, of course, which means Google still get to know what sites you've been to, even if you never visit Google.

There are steps you can take to prevent that - like installing something like Privacy Badger, HTTPS Everywhere, maybe AdBlockPlus or whatever the equivalents are across all your devices to block Google tracking cookies (and many other companies doing the same thing).. but unless you're technically savvy I'd suggest putting up with it

[Mr Gav]

Personally I have better things to do than trying to hide my existence on the web as they will probably find you out anyway, the only real way is not to use it.

[Shackeng]

 

[TheBoy]

Obviously, Google and others have a million and 1 other ways to uniquely identify you.  Google's search isn't free.


To put some context around it, google search runs on several hundred thousand servers.  The leccy bill for each server (power and cooling) will be around £500pa at their (presumably) good rates. These will be connected to thousands of switches and routers, each pulling probably £5k pa in leccy. Then you have bandwidth and transit costs, that puts everything else into insignificance. And staff. And their posh headquarters, and all their global buildings.  Then all the "commercial agreements" with global ISPs to get their content near the end user, that I wont go into for NDA.


So they need to make a shit load of money. And that means tracking you. Understanding you. Understanding your habits.



I've banged on so many times here, internet services ARE expensive to provide, and if *anything* is free, understand the revenue streams involved to pay for providing that service.