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This new app beeps whenever Google tracks your computer

It’s a pretty annoying reminder of how invasive Google can be.

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Image: KnowTechie

Want to know exactly how much information Google gathers from your computer? This developer has created a demo app that projects an annoying beep every time your computer sends data off to Google.

By now, most of us know that major tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and more are tracking our internet usage as much as possible. But just how much of that usage are these companies able to track?

Bert Hubert, the creator of PowerDNS, has developed a demonstration app that can tell you how often Google is tracking your web usage. The app, called “Googerteller,” will beep every time a web page sends data off to Google.

https://twitter.com/bert_hu_bert/status/1561466204602220544

You can see in the demonstration that this is a pretty annoying app when you’re browsing online. The beeping starts almost immediately, with an audible reaction for every keystroke in the address bar.

Google reads every single keystroke, presumable to provide autocomplete suggestions when typing a website’s name.

The demo also shows the app beeping with just about every click on the Dutch government jobs site used for the demonstration.

Right now, Googerteller is only available for Linux-based systems. Additionally, it’s unclear if versions for Windows or Mac will be developed in the future.

However, the program is free to use, and you can check it out here if you’re interested.

Essentially, Hubert created the Googerteller app to raise awareness of just how often Google is tracking your web usage.

With an audible sound every time your computer sends Google information, it will be hard to ignore the regular invasion of your privacy.

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Staff writer at KnowTechie. Alex has two years of experience covering all things technology, from video games to electric cars. He's a gamer at heart, with a passion for first-person shooters and expansive RPGs. Shoot him an email at alex@knowtechie.com

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