I created a google takeout and in that zip file I found some files containing a ton of data about me. It has logged every single page I visited while using the google search engine and chrome browser. It even logged every single time I opened an app on my old android phone. It even has VOICE RECORDINGS of me and a log of every time I used google assistant. This is just some of the data and I'm very sure there is even more data they have.
Fortunately you can degoogle many Android phones. And stop using big tech products in general. They have a lot of issues, not only a complete lack of privacy
A pixel, if you buy into GrapheneOS being the pinnacle of security. Otherwise, anything with an unlockable bootloader and LineagOS support.
It's actually quite ironic that the best phone to degoogle your life is sold by google.
They may even save every Google meet meeting for all we know. They may train their AI on how our faces look in meetings.
Nothing is too creepy for Google.
while, yes, regardless of your privacy settings google still collects a sickening amount of data on you, much of these things (like voice recordings and location history) can be managed and disabled in the settings. if you wish to go further, grapheneos removes A LOT of tracking potential.
these should be opt in features, but one can opt out of much of them.
Today you learned a valuable lesson:
When an online service is free it generally means you're the product.
Today companies will snoop your info even if you pay 1000s for a device.
Why wouldn't they, obviously no one cares
I wish I could just delete it. I'm still figuring out things with nextcloud and I run a youtube channel so I can't do that yet.
You could create an Odysee channel perhaps, and try to migrate there. Then you're supporting competition.
Wish I could do that too but my email is still tied to some accounts where I can't change it
How do you do this?
I have a few dozen google accounts, buy most of them I'm locked out of. Even if I enter the correct username and password on the first try, google says I can't login because I never associated a phone number to the account.
How can I get this data?
Have the same issue on one of my accounts. I can login but when I try to do anything, I need to verify by getting a code over SMS. The thing is, the phone number on that account is an old one I don't have access to anymore. There is no other verification option, I can't delete it from my account without verification and I'm definitely not adding my actual number.
One thing people seem to forget is that even though Google is a real enemy of privacy, it’s far from the worst company. Companies like Google collect and use your data. While there are many companies that collect data only to sell them to any customer they might have.
I've started using Kagi search. $5/mo for a great search without selling my sh1t.
