Yeah. But fear not only Google. There is another to be far more concerned about when it comes to robbing a user of their privacy. They're called "Microsoft". A publicly traded corporation that has shifted its marketing mentality to compete with Google in harvesting anyone and everyone's data. But unlike Google, Microsoft can observe virtually everything you do the moment you turn on your computer, assuming you are running any recent version of the "Windows" OS.
I've spent a few years methodically depriving Microsoft of such data through the use of a freeware application called "Glary Utilities 5.0". After each browser session, I routinely go into Glary's "privacy and security" section and choose their "tracks eraser". A function that allows you to be aware of and selectively pick what items Windows automatically sends to Microsoft through their telemetry function. Leaving Microsoft with very little to peruse in their quest to sell anyone our data. Though having the telemetry function perpetually on allows Microsoft to also tax your system resources at times when you may need them.
https://www.glarysoft.com/glary-utilities/downloadupdate.php
In the past I created a post about simply turning off the "telemetry" function within the Windows services. Something a number of privacy advocates support, though I found it problematic in that when I turned off this function as it seemed to sabotage their complex and convoluted update process. Though the worst aspect of telemetry with Microsoft remains how much of your computer's system resources may be used whenever they tap into your hard drive. Microsoft pretends to support this "Catch-22" option, but in my own case I felt penalized for doing so.
Which all left me to eventually ponder and accept the "nuclear option" of it all. You can bypass much of what Google does if you choose to avoid all their known applications. And I can curb Microsoft's data harvesting using Glary Utilities in Windows 10. Plus I use the Brave browser and their search engine as well. I still use Duck Duck Go-Go as well, though as it was pointed out they have started to exercise a certain degree of censorship. Likely due to legal pressures placed on the industry by government. A trend that is probably only going to get worse.
https://brave.com/
So......what is to be done to improve this present scenario ?
For the past year I have been learning to use a Linux distribution called "Mint 20.3 and 21.0 intended to completely replace the use of Microsoft Windows 10 and later abominations. And I'm at the point where I can stop using Windows entirely. I'm really beginning to love Linux, which doesn't do marketing telemetry for profit, and offers a superior OS that uses far less memory, is more secure and uses far less bloatware compared to Windows. And most of all, I can still run it all on a very fast, but older computer that isn't ready to be retired exclusively by Microsoft. Though I won't kid anyone about the work you may have to do to get a Linux distro up and running optimally.
Getting rid of Google? Get rid of Micro$oft Window$. While you're using third-party browsers and extensions to protect your privacy, your Windows OS is still reporting back to Microsoft most everything you do through their built-in telemetry service. Even routinely using Glary Utilities 5.0 and the Brave browser and search engine won't stop it all.
Though you also have to option of rationalizing that if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. In my own case, it all boils down to the sanctity of my own right to privacy as a consumer. Where we all can be bombarded by those trying to sell you something you don't want, need or asked for. Government spying on you is likely the least of such concerns, compared to the profit motive of so many within the private sector of the economy.
