The Digital Age’s Hidden Treasure: Why Google Finds Our Online Activities Valuable

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.

As reported by The Verge, 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.

In this context, it is not surprising that Google leads the way in tracking user data online. Research by StockApps confirms this position, revealing that 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.

“Not only Google, but all (technological) companies, at some point they will collect information. They always do it with a strategy behind,” says Luis Acosta, professor at the Faculty of Business and Systems Engineering of the Scientific University of the South.

“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.

Acosta reveals that with this information, not only Google but also social networks and other companies can discover what we like, our interests, and preferences based on what we look at on the Internet and what we buy online. User tracking has an underlying strategy, according to Morán, as it allows companies to build a detailed profile of the user and develop tactics to target personalized products and advertisements.

When users take proactive measures to protect their privacy, they can reduce the risk of their data being collected and used in unwanted ways by technology companies, according to experts Acosta and Morán. Some measures that can be adopted include reviewing privacy policies, using alternative platforms that offer greater privacy, and being cautious about the information shared online.