I just kinda lol at this article though. Short of unplugging darn near everything and going offline, you're going to be tracked by SOMEONE. There are ways to avoid Google, but your soul is still sold to Facebook. Avoid Google and Facebook and your soul is still sold to Amazon. Avoid Google/Facebook/Amazon and it's still sold to dozens of apps on your phone. It's still sold to Microsoft if you have a desktop. It's sold to Netflix, Sling, or even if you just browse websites.
Short of living offline, it's a losing cause to avoid being tracked. Even when you go to Publix or wherever, if you pay with a credit card or debit card, or even a check, they track what you buy. Only way to not be tracked is to pay with cash. And this is while being "offline". So you can't escape it really. Oh, article...
https://www.thehour.com/news/article/Never-Googlers-Web-users-take-the-ultimate-step-14116157.phpNever-Googlers: Web users take the ultimate step to guard their data SAN FRANCISCO - In the small South Carolina town of Newberry, Bob's Red Mill muesli cereal is hard to come by. That presents a challenge for resident Gregory Kelly, who can't get enough of the stuff. He'd rather not truck the 40 miles or so to Columbia to stock up on it, but he's also loath to buy it from the company's website, which he says is riddled with tracking software from Google. His privacy being paramount, Kelly grudgingly chooses to head into Columbia every so often, rather than cede his data to Google or turn over his purchase history to another online retailer. "I'm just not sure why Google needs to know what breakfast cereal I eat," the 51-year-old said. Kelly is one of a hearty few who are taking the ultimate step to keep their files and online life safe from prying eyes: turning off Google entirely. That means eschewing some of the most popular services on the Web, including Gmail, Google search, Google Maps, the Chrome browser, Android mobile operating software and even YouTube. Such never-Googlers are pushing friends and family to give up the search and advertising titan, while others are taking to social media to get word out. Online guides have sprouted up to help consumers untangle themselves from Google. These intrepid Web users say they'd rather deal with daily inconveniences than give up more of their data. That means setting up permanent vacation responders on Gmail and telling friends to resend files or video links that don't require Google software. More than that, it takes a lot of discipline. People like Kelly are trying to build barriers to Google and other tech giants largely due to increasing concerns about the massive data collection. A series of privacy scandals showing how these companies collect and use consumer data has raised alarm bells for many people about how much they've...
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