Stay safe online
… tips and advice for staying more secure on the web
There are so many fascinating things to do and explore online, but there are also times when the Internet can be a little bit scary. Just like in the offline world, it’s important to keep yourself safe and secure. Whether you’re a new Internet user or an old hand, it’s good to stay updated on the best practices when it comes to sharing your data online and browsing safely. Here we give you advice for staying more secure on the web and an overview of some of the security tools that Google offers.
To read more about our security philosophy and how to report security issues with any of our services, visit our corporate security page.
5 tips for staying safe on the web
Read the first topic: How to protect yourself against phishing
Your data on the web
… and how it makes websites more useful
Say you go to the same coffee shop every morning for a latte and the same barista makes it for you every day. Chances are he’ll know your order before you even walk through the door. Websites, including Google, have learned a lot from this relationship. We’ve learned that we can serve you better if we get to know you better.
When the web first started, it was a set of static pages that looked the same for everybody. Nowadays, the web has become even more useful because websites can know something about you that helps them guess what you would like to view. For example, they can remember whether you want them in English or French, can suggest books or movies you might enjoy based on what you’ve viewed in the past, and can store your delivery address ready for your next purchase.
There are many clues that websites can use to guess your preferences, including cookies, IP addresses, and signing in with an account.
Read the first topic: How cookies help websites remember your preferences
Your data on Google
… and how it makes Google services more useful
Knowing a little bit about you can help make Google products better, both for you and for others. By understanding your preferences we can ensure that we give you the search results that you’re looking for, and by analyzing the search logs of millions of users in aggregate, we can continually improve our search algorithm, develop new features, keep our systems secure and even predict the next flu outbreak.
When it comes to the way that we look after your data on Google, our approach is based on transparency, control and security.
We have five privacy principles that describe how we approach privacy and user information across all of our products:
- Use information to provide our users with valuable products and services.
- Develop products that reflect strong privacy standards and practices.
- Make the collection of personal information transparent.
- Give users meaningful choices to protect their privacy.
- Be a responsible steward of the information we hold.
Google’s Privacy Principles
Read the first topic: What’s stored in a search log when you search on Google
Manage your data
… and what you share with websites and Google
We believe it’s important for you to have the controls you need to manage your data online. There are many different settings and tools out there, so to make it a bit simpler, here is an overview of some of the ways that you can manage what you share online, with Google and with others. We offer a collection of privacy tools, the most popular of which are described in this section.
Read the first topic: How to manage and delete your cookies across the web