rogue

Want to know all the assumptions Google has made about you? You can find out in 5 seconds.

We're all aware the internet probably knows way too much about us. 

One moment you'll be chatting to your friend about the new pair of headphones they just bought and the next you'll be seeing ads for them literally everywhere. It's pretty freaky stuff.

But now, it turns out there's a way to actually check what Google knows about you (or what they think they know). And like any good hack, it's brought to us from the wise people of TikTok. 

QUICK, listen to Mamamia Out Loud, about what women are talking about three times a week. Post continues after podcast.

According to TikTok user @tiktoktrishkabob, who works as a digital marketer, there's a website you can go to to see all the information Goggle assumes about you, including how old you are, what you like, if you're single, how much income you earn and if you're a parent.

Yep... it's a lot.

All you need to do is search Google Ad Settings or click the link here, while you're logged into your Google account.

"Here you'll be able to see every assumption that Google has made about you and why you see that ads that you see," Trish explains in the video. 

"If you ever Googled it, it's somewhere in here."

@tiktoktrishkabob

##stitch with @teenybee818 Google knows way too much about all of us. ##google ##ads ##digitalmarketing ##digitalmarketer ##bigbrother

♬ original sound - Trish Kabob

Naturally, I had to check if this works for myself. And I got to say Google knows quite a lot about me. 

Based on my search history, they know I like beauty and skin care, fitness, action films, dogs and niche facts like my income status and the fact that I'm not a parent, which is a pretty good start. 

But there were also things they were straight up wrong about. 

Like the fact that Google thinks I'm a 45 - 54-year-old woman, which could have to do with the crocheting videos that I watch, but as someone in their early twenties, is very much wrong. 

They also think I like boating, sports and video games, which makes zero sense to me. But the good news is, there's an easy way to turn off ads for particular interests you don't care about. 

As Trish explains in the video, "you can edit specific factors" by turning them off individually or you can just switch off ad personalisation altogether.

The more you know. 

Have you checked what Goggle assumes about you? Let us know what they got right or wrong in the comments below.

Feature Image: TikTok @tiktoktrishkabob/Supplied.


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Top Comments

mollyboss 4 years ago
As an 18-24 year old female, I'm unsure why Google thinks I'm interested in "The Urinal Shop"......  

pippa 4 years ago 1 upvotes
Good grief! I had no idea I was interested in so many things. I guess that’s what happens when you give your iPad to your grandchildren to play with. They got my age right though. 
However, my husband and I will be celebrating our 53rd wedding anniversary in May, and google thinks I’m single.