How Google Tracks Your Searches – What You Can Do About It

Swisscows AG
How Google Tracks Your Searches – What You Can Do About It

Every time you search for something on Google — whether it’s “pizza near me” or “sore throat symptoms” — Google doesn’t just register your keywords. Behind the scenes is a powerful system built to collect, analyze, and monetize your data.

What Google Really Knows About You

Google isn’t running the world’s most popular search engine out of generosity. It’s a multi-billion dollar advertising company — and its most valuable currency is you.

Google collects:

  • Your search queries
  • Time of each search
  • Location data (GPS, Wi-Fi, IP address)
  • Device, OS, and browser info
  • Click behavior (which result you click)

These are tied to your Google account (if you're signed in) — and even if you’re not signed in, tracking still happens via cookies and fingerprinting techniques.

➡ The result: A detailed user profile containing your interests, habits, health concerns, hobbies, and even political opinions.

Why That’s a Problem

  1. Personalized advertising
    – It sounds harmless but is highly profitable — and makes you more predictable (and persuadable).

2. Search & filter bubbles
– You’ll mostly see what matches your profile — not the full picture.

3. Data sharing & misuse risks
– Authorities, data leaks, or third parties could gain access.

4. No real control
– Even if you tweak settings, much remains hidden or continues silently.

What You Can Do About It

Good news: You’re not powerless. With a few steps, you can protect your searches and reclaim your digital privacy.

1. Review Google’s Activity Settings

🔗 Manage your Google Activity

Here you can:
Delete your search history
Turn off activity tracking
Disable location and app activity logs

👉 But beware: Even with these disabled, some data may still be collected in the background.

2. Use Alternative Search Engines

Swisscows is a privacy-friendly search engine that places a strong emphasis on security and data protection. Unlike Google, Swisscows does not store any personal data, IP addresses, or search history. Its servers are located exclusively in Switzerland, ensuring an additional layer of privacy under the country’s strict data protection laws.
Swisscows also avoids personalized advertising and uses its own semantic search technology to deliver relevant results — all without tracking your behavior. This makes Swisscows a safe and family-friendly alternative to Google.

Tip: Set Swisscows as your default search engine in your browser:

Make Swisscows your homepage
Set it as your default search provider

3. Use Privacy Tools & Technical Protection

  • Use browsers with built-in tracking protection (e.g., Brave)
  • Install ad & tracker blockers: uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger
  • Regularly clear or block cookies
  • Use a VPN to hide your IP address (e.g., Swisscows.VPN)
  • Avoid using Google accounts in third-party browser tabs

Bonus Tip: Live Google-Free?

Here are a few privacy-respecting alternatives to Google services:

YouTube-Alternative: https://yewtu.be/
Google Maps-Alternative: OpenStreetMap, OsmAnd
Google Drive-Alternative: Edelcloud
Android ohne Google: /e/ OS oder GrapheneOS
Sicherer  Messenger, WhatsApp alternative: Teleguard

Final Thoughts

Google is convenient — no doubt. But that convenience comes at a high cost: your personal data. With just a little awareness and the right tools, you can reclaim your privacy without sacrificing too much comfort.

Maybe it’s time to not only search for information, but also for a little more freedom in the digital world.