In the uncertain climate of today’s data-driven world, it is easy to feel little to no control over your personal information. If you are looking to get a better grasp of the digital you, Google may be a good place to start. Fortunately, Google makes it pretty easy to download and visualize it firsthand.
If you want to delete your data from the internet this is not the way to do it. Think of this exercise as a way to gain a better understanding of what data Google collects from you. However, it is also available in case you want to save the information from your Google account before deleting it.
How to download everything Google knows about you
- Head over to takeout.google.com
- Once there, scroll down to see the selection of the numerous services Google offers you.
- Select every service you use on this page.
- You can then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click “Next” when you are ready to move on.
- A new list will pop up, giving you the option to choose the type, size and delivery method of the file containing your information.
- Choose your preference for the file type. Your options are .zip or .tgz
- Choose what size you would like the file. For older computers, you will want to stick with 2GB. For more modern computers try and go with the largest file size you can to avoid your information being split into multiple files.
- Choose how you would like the file delivered. Your options are a link via email, to your Google drive (For obvious reasons, don’t do this one if you are deleting your Google account,), to your Dropbox, or to your Microsoft one drive.
- Once you have made your selection click “Create Archive”
- Wait … a while.
- The Download will eventually appear in the destination you selected for it.
- If you chose to download through an email link. Just click the link when it arrives in your email to download the individual .zip or tgz files to your desktop.
- Now is the fun part. Look at all the data Google has on you.
Once your files are downloaded there should be plenty to look at. You can see any bookmarks you have, track listings, and even when you downloaded and opened up apps (down to the very second). You can also see every comment you made using youtube or Google+, anything you have asked Google assistant, your Google maps history and even your Gmail files including any trash or spam.
Of course, this all depends on the individual. Certain people use different aspects of Google. Regardless, it would be hard fetched to find someone who doesn’t at least have some retrievable data from Google. Essentially if you have used any Google service, they have archived it to some degree.
This is perhaps the most intuitive way to educate yourself on what Google knows about you. It should also give you an idea of how other companies are keeping tabs about you online. What you do with this information is up to you. You can attempt to be more data conscious online or relish in the fact that Google tracks and stores everything you do and allows you to download it at your convenience.
It’s your data. Make sure it’s working for you.
To learn more about how your data is tracked, tap into the Digital you at ScoresMatter.