Wonder about the data Google collects in Chrome and links to you? Now we know

Up until now, it was clear that Google was collecting data through its Chrome web browser and other services, but most users probably did not know the exact data types and data that Google was collecting. Microsoft revealed what it collects from users of its Windows 10 operating system, and other browser makers, Mozilla for example, reveal more details when it comes to telemetry.

All applications on Apple's App store need to reveal to users the data that they collect and link to the user. I stumbled upon this through a tweet by DuckDuckGo.

If you open the Google Chrome listing on Apple's App store website, and click on the "see details" link under App Privacy on the page, you will get the list of data that is linked to you when you are using the browser on Apple iOS devices. It is likely, but not confirmed, that most of these are also collected and linked in Chrome on Android and desktop devices.

The collected and linked data is sorted into the three categories analytics, product personalization and app functionality.  Here is the entire list:

Analytics

• Location -- Coarse Location
• User Content - Audio Data, Customer Support
• Browsing History -- Browsing History
• Identifiers -- User ID, Device ID
• Usage Data -- Product Interaction
• Diagnostics -- Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data
• Other Data -- Other Data Types

Product Personalization

• Location -- -Coarse Location
• Browsing History -- Browsing History
• Identifiers -- User ID, Device ID
• Usage Data -- Product Interaction

App Functionality

• Financial Info -- Payment Info
• Location -- Coarse Location
• User Content -- Audio Data, Customer Support, Other User Content
• Browsing History -- Browsing History
• Identifiers -- User ID, Device ID
• Usage Data -- Product Interaction
• Diagnostics -- Crash Data, Performance Data, Other Diagnostic Data
• Other Data -- Other Data Types

Google collects a user ID and device ID, the browsing history, usage data, diagnostics data and more.

How about other browsers? Mozilla collects contact info (email), user ID and device ID, but nothing else, Vivaldi, the DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser and Brave nothing at all, Microsoft Edge the device ID, browsing history and diagnostic crash data, and Opera the Device ID, Location, and diagnostics. Google is collecting more than anyone else in its Chrome web browser.

Now You: what is your take on this?

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