Since Google Analytics is embedded in so many sites, this tracker alone allows Google to see most people’s global browsing history, regardless of whether they use any Google products themselves. In many cases Google also adds that same information to Google’s own massive profiles about people. Unlike privacy-focused analytics services, Google uses their Google Analytics tracker for more than just providing information about site visitors and app users to the sites and apps themselves.

While “analytics” sounds harmless and is in fact something websites need to improve their services, what’s happening underneath the hood with Google Analytics is anything but harmless or necessary. Google Analytics - a free Google service used by millions of websites and apps - is actually the biggest cross-site tracker on the Internet, lurking creepily behind the scenes on around 72.6% of the top 75k sites. Google trackers are lurking behind most websites. That may be surprising, even if you already know that when you use Google products like Google Search, Chrome, and YouTube, they collect a shocking amount of personal information about you. Google can (and does) track your activity across many non-Google websites and apps.

How does Google track me even when I'm not using it? Filed under DuckDuckGo Q&A

Google chrome web store track blocker