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If you thought Facebook’s data collection is scary, wait until you check your Google account

Published Mar 28th, 2018 5:11PM EDT
Google vs. Facebook User Data
Image: Ng Han Guan/AP/REX/Shutterstock

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Facebook might be at the center of the most important user privacy breach scandal in recent history, but don’t think for a second that Google isn’t somewhat worried about the whole matter. It’s likely that lawmakers around the world might come up with new regulation for internet companies in the aftermath of the Cambridge Analytica mess that will affect not just Facebook, but also Google, and every other tech firm that does any kind of data collection.

Google, too, collects plenty of user data, maybe even more than Facebook does. And it does it for the same reason: to sell better-targeted ads. The customer, meanwhile, agrees to hand over that data in return for all the great software that’s available from Google for “free.” But if you freaked out over the amount of information Facebook harnesses from its users, wait until you see what Google is capable of.

Would Google share any of that data with others? Well, how do you think Facebook was able to log all those calls and text messages on Android devices?

You can easily download all the data Facebook has on you and inspect it. Google also has a similar tool in place. Twitter user Dylan Curran downloaded both the Facebook and Google data dumps posting a mesmerizing 37-part Twitter thread in which he goes over his findings.

Things get creepy rather quickly. For starters, his Google data dump measures 5.5GB, which is nine times bigger than his Facebook data.

Location. Location. Location.

Your search histories.

All of them.

Again, all of your searches are in there.

Google knows if you’re going to be a parent soon from YouTube history.

All your Google Drive history, including deleted files.

All the emails, including the ones that were deleted and the spam.

Basically, everything you do online.

Imagine all this data getting into the wrong hands…

You can check the full thread at this link, to see exactly what Google and Facebook may have on you, and whether you need to make any changes to the way Google and Facebook handle your data.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.