Make Use Of – (and How to Get Rid of It): “If you’ve ever wondered how Google seems to read your mind, the answer lies in its massive and incredibly detailed data collection. You can actually take a look at what Google knows about you—and delete it if you want to clean the slate. It’s hard to overstate how deeply Google is woven into our lives—and how much it collects along the way. If you use services like Search, YouTube, Gmail, Chrome, Google Maps, or Android (which, let’s face it, covers most people), you’re sharing pieces of your digital life every day. Google knows what you search for, the videos you watch, the places you go, the websites you visit, the apps you use, and even how long you use them. It records voice commands you give to Google Assistant (if voice activity is enabled), tracks your purchases through email receipts, and builds an advertising profile based on your behavior. Your interests, routines, and even major life events are all stored and analyzed. Google isn’t necessarily doing anything sinister with this data. But it is collecting far more than most people realize—and doing so constantly. This information isn’t just sitting there. It’s analyzed, categorized, and used to personalize your experience and deliver highly targeted ads…”