# Privacy Footprint

## Tuesday, April 4, 2023

I, similar to many other people, have felt as if Facebook, Google, Amazon, or another online platform has been listening to my conversations. Rich Hardy, in his article "[Facebook isn't secretly listening to your conversations, but the truth is much more disturbing](https://newatlas.com/computers/facebook-not-secretly-listening-conversations/)" details how this is not exactly the case. In tests of both Android and Apple phones, audio transcription was mainly used by "Hey Siri" and "Ok Google", and not in large amounts by any other app. However, many apps had permissions to actively take screenshots and send them to third parties. Basically anything that can be useful - tracking location, taking photos, online shopping - can also be used to track one's data. Essentially, Facebook can track any trace of data that has been tied to you online, through your payment info, and even through friends, and use that to create an algorithm to suggest ads based on what it thinks is relevant to your life and conversations. This feels like a complete invasion of privacy, and it is weird that Facebook has so much of that information. It leads me to wonder what information about me is lurking on the internet as I complete this privacy activity.

### Identity, Browser, Social Media, and Search History

When I just search "Julia Foley" on Google, it brings a plethora of Julia Foley results - none of which are me. Julia Foley seems to be a pretty popular name (there was a Julia Foley in my hometown a few grades ahead of me, leading my usernames for school platforms to be different than normal). The first images that come up of me are after a few scrolls are my profile pictures on Pinterest and the Millennium Fellowship website. One of the top results of Julia Foley video search is me singing with some friends for a fundraiser in 2021.


When I did the TrueSearch for my name and hometown, it brought up a different Julia Foley. Additionally, none of the sponsored links led to my own identity. When I did reverse phone search of my phone number, it led to Douglas J. Banks, who is not I.

It is frightening to understand how much a browser and websites such as Google and Facebook can know about me. When reading through "[What every Browser knows about you](https://webkay.robinlinus.com/)", I am somewhat shocked to realize how it knows deeply specific information about our browser. It also is interesting how it can track our location so specifically, but this makes sense as we can see evidence of it in the content we receive and the ads we view. I also realize that autofill, such as passwords and credit cards, can provide access to compromising information, though I do not typically take part in these platforms.

The Google timeline for location does not work as I have the long-term location tracking setting turned off. However, Google can track my web and app history, as well as my Youtube history. After clicking into what kinds of data is stored, there was an option (which is switched off) to store audio and vocal history, which leads me to wonder in what situations Google would access the microphone.

I have deleted TikTok, and am a casual/when I am bored Twitter user, so the social media app that is of the most concern to me is Facebook (including Instagram). Looking on my Facebook privacy settings, most of the options discuss what others can see on my profile, not necessarily what the app tracks across my web browsing activity. However, I was able to turn off Facebook's ad recommendation based on relationship status, job, and education. I hope to be able to look through Instagram and Snapchat privacy features in the near future as well.