It’s a well known fact that Google decides what ads to show you based on your searches, your watched YouTube videos and data from other Google services. The company has now decided to apply this same personalization to ads that are shown on third-party websites as well.
But thankfully, it has kept the remote control in your hands by making this addition an opt-in one. These controls are being rolled out through the Ads Settings page which previously only used to personalize the ads you’ll see on Google services.
People are being made aware of this via emails and notifications that direct them to check their security settings. There, they will be asked whether they want Google to be able to tailor the ads on third-party sites based on their gender, age and search information.
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No matter what choice you make, it will reflect across all the devices on which you are logged in. Additionally, you can also choose your interests; so that Google can further personalize the ads shown to you. A massive list of interests based on your previous searches is available; and you can either cut out some of them or add new ones.
This change is also being accompanied by a revamp to the My Activity site. This lesser known portal shows you your entire Chrome web history, Now cards activity, voice searches and more in a timeline format. The interface is completely new, so you might want to check it out.
The opt-in feature for third-party access to your Google searches is being rolled out in a gradual manner; so it’s possible it hasn’t reached you yet. Rest assured that a notification or email will arrive to let you know that it has arrived.