Google Sells your private information?

Google Sells your private information? - Printable Version

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Google Sells your private information? - alok9shm - 08-03-2014

I used a German proxy for less than 10 minutes to access a certain website the last night. I did not register/login to any website using that proxy, or accessed any other German website other than a German University Website. I did not even click on any Advertisement links.

And I started getting advertisement mails that originates from Germany based websites [Not related to what I accessed using the German Proxy].

Now, what I think, is that this cannot be just a random thing. I've never used a German Proxy before, neither did I ever visit any German Website except in this case.
And getting half a dozen mails from Germany-based websites right after using a German Proxy and accessing a german website cannot be just a coincidence.

So, how did those German Websites get me email id suddenly?
I think Google is behind this, silently sharing the user details to 3rd party websites.

RE: Google Sells your private information? - Lynux - 08-03-2014

(08-03-2014, 04:19 PM)alok9shm Wrote: I used a German proxy for less than 10 minutes to access a certain website the last night. I did not register/login to any website using that proxy, or accessed any other German website other than a German University Website. I did not even click on any Advertisement links.

And I started getting advertisement mails that originates from Germany based websites [Not related to what I accessed using the German Proxy].

Now, what I think, is that this cannot be just a random thing. I've never used a German Proxy before, neither did I ever visit any German Website except in this case.
And getting half a dozen mails from Germany-based websites right after using a German Proxy and accessing a german website cannot be just a coincidence.

So, how did those German Websites get me email id suddenly?
I think Google is behind this, silently sharing the user details to 3rd party websites.

The proxy may have been setup up to collect information on anyone who connects to it, as this is what turned me away from public proxys.

RE: Google Sells your private information? - Isaac - 08-03-2014

This is already a well known fact. Google has admitted, on numeros occasions, that they sell our browsing information to advertising firms so that they can make more money by giving us accurate advertisements according to what we like so that we'll buy more of their merchandise.

This isn't really news to most people mate. Many Internet giants like Facebook also take part in such activites.

Spoiler:

Even :bluedog: sells our info to the Feds Smile

RE: Google Sells your private information? - chmod - 08-03-2014

Could have been Google but equally likely to be the proxy provider

@"XrpmX13" how else would he pay for the staff party every Christmas :troll:

RE: Google Sells your private information? - The Real Slim Shady - 08-03-2014

You just said that you did not access any other site other than the german one accessed.

As such - How would google even know you were accessing said site? Do German universities use Google Analytics? Cause other than that, google shouldnt be able to get that information if you arent on their network.

Alternatively, without logging into gmail or your email, or posting your email address - how would the proxy be able to get your email address? Its not like its pulling it off your hard drive. That email address would have to have been detected in the network communications. If you in no way transmitted it, then the proxy couldnt get it.

So I see 2 possible scenarios.

1. Either 1 of the above statements is wrong, and you did some how leak that information to one of the parties.

or

2. Its a coincidence.

RE: Google Sells your private information? - alok9shm - 08-04-2014

(08-03-2014, 11:32 PM)404# Wrote: As such - How would google even know you were accessing said site? Do German universities use Google Analytics? Cause other than that, google shouldnt be able to get that information if you arent on their network.

Google tracks every website you visit, In search results it displays when was the last time you visited that website [even if you had visited it on some other device, while logged in to your google account]. So google knows I accessed that particular site.

And suddenly getting 7 such mails cannot merely be a coincidence.
:Smile:

RE: Google Sells your private information? - lady_godiva - 08-04-2014

As stated in previous posts, it could be the proxy's fault or it could be google itself. I would not be surprised about the second one. Almost anything gets through google analytics. More over it's not only Google that sells personal information, it's also Facebook, Twitter etc.

RE: Google Sells your private information? - The Real Slim Shady - 08-04-2014

(08-04-2014, 11:28 AM)alok9shm Wrote:
(08-03-2014, 11:32 PM)404# Wrote: As such - How would google even know you were accessing said site? Do German universities use Google Analytics? Cause other than that, google shouldnt be able to get that information if you arent on their network.

Google tracks every website you visit, In search results it displays when was the last time you visited that website [even if you had visited it on some other device, while logged in to your google account]. So google knows I accessed that particular site.

And suddenly getting 7 such mails cannot merely be a coincidence.
:Smile:

I would imagine that would be partner sites - or you are logged in and using Chrome - As browsers generally dont allow sites to track your activity on other sites.

RE: Google Sells your private information? - lady_godiva - 08-04-2014

(08-04-2014, 12:05 PM)404# Wrote:
(08-04-2014, 11:28 AM)alok9shm Wrote:
(08-03-2014, 11:32 PM)404# Wrote: As such - How would google even know you were accessing said site? Do German universities use Google Analytics? Cause other than that, google shouldnt be able to get that information if you arent on their network.

Google tracks every website you visit, In search results it displays when was the last time you visited that website [even if you had visited it on some other device, while logged in to your google account]. So google knows I accessed that particular site.

And suddenly getting 7 such mails cannot merely be a coincidence.
:Smile:

I would imagine that would be partner sites - or you are logged in and using Chrome - As browsers generally dont allow sites to track your activity on other sites.

It would be interesting to know which websites do have partnerships. I believe they are a huge number. More over if you visit a website after searching in Google you are surely passing through google analytics

RE: Google Sells your private information? - augisjr - 08-16-2014

This isn't really news to most people mate. Many Internet giants like Facebook also take part in such activites.