Quasi Monopolies Beg: Does This Suggest Fear, Weakness, or Data Hunger?
August 16, 2022
I read an interesting article titled “Microsoft Is Now Literally Begging You To Ditch Google Chrome.” The main players in the write ups are giant companies’ Web browsers. I am not interested in those less old than I suddenly getting concerned about “in your face” begging. Too late, muchachos. What I want to highlight is the nice summary in the write up about Google’s basic data harvesting methods; to wit:
Google tracks you in one of 4 well-documented ways:
- Cookies: Every time you make a search, Google adds a cookie to your browser, and that’s all Google needs to track you.
- In-browser tracking: Even if you don’t use Google Search— according to privacy researchers, Chrome can still track your every keystroke even if you just type in data in the address bar without pressing enter.
- Fingerprinting: Even if you turn off cookies, Google can fingerprint your device and identify you to start collecting your tiny identifiable data like fonts installed on your device to help figure out who you are — even if you’re connected to a VPN.
- Wi-Fi sniffing: Even if all else fails, Google collects Wi-Fi data with its Google Maps street view cars, and can likely profile you based on your Wi-Fi data alone.
The emphases appear in the original write up.
Yep, the Google. Approaching a quarter century of putting information at whose fingertips? Yours or theirs?
Stephen E Arnold, August 16, 2022
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