What reasons are there for being concerned about companies like google and meta etc collecting data and tracking me? - eviltoast

Please understandnim asking this question from a genuine place. I dont want the quora answer, i want the tech savvy, security expert minds of my fellow lemmings. If thats ok?

What happens to this data? What can/do they do with it? and why are so many people concerned about google tracking them?

Do i as an average user need to be concerned?

If so, What sorts of things can i do to avoid being tracked? Preferably without too much comprimise.

  • Shambling Shapes@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    The US and UK have both used data from period trackers to spy on women and monitor for “suspicious” miscarriages.

    • Rentlar@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Governments in free, democratic countries are not supposed to spy on you without a probable suspicion of wrongdoing. Government agencies around the world get around that by “purchasing information” collected by private firms and use it to gain probable suspicion whenever they feel like.