Google doesn’t sell your data, they’re one of the few that don’t. That doesn’t mean they aren’t misusing your data though. They’re more the dragon hoarder than the thief selling off stolen goods. They want all your data so they can learn everything about you. Selling your data to others makes it worth way less. It’s a difference in strategy. Google retains the data to enhance their products, Facebook sells your data because they have no products that would be improved by keeping it.

[–] undercrust@lemmy.ca 12 points 10 months ago (5 children)

Sorry if I miscommunicated. No, they're not selling your home address. But the idea that they aren't monetizing your personal data aggressively is laughably wrong and heavily documented.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/google-says-it-doesnt-sell-your-data-heres-how-company-shares-monetizes-and

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (4 children)

So literally no one, then?

I don't know who started this trend of "showing ads is the same thing as selling data" but it's fucking irritating to see so many people confidently wrong about something they could figure out themselves if they thought about Google's business model for 30 seconds.

[–] uzay@infosec.pub 8 points 10 months ago

Showing ads is not the same as selling data, but it's also not really what google is doing. Google spies on you and uses that data to sell access to you to any company that wants to exploit you. They've also been known to give (not sell) data on you to law enforcement based solely on your location data or things you looked up.

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