A question for those "in the know" regarding my identity when browsing with Chrome....

[GabeU]

Last year I set up an account at Pinterest.  Being that I ended up realizing I had no use for it, I closed the account shortly thereafter.  I hadn't been back to Pinterest since then.  As well, in between then and now I've gone through at least two clean installs of Windows 10 on this desktop.

Earlier I went to Pinterest to view some pictures of an old, since demolished, hospital.  I only viewed one picture, which was the one from the link that came up after a Google search.  I input absolutely no information and I closed the popup box asking me to create an account or sign in.  Again, this is the first time I've visited Pinterest since setting up the account, then closing it, last year.

Almost immediately I got an email asking me to Reactivate my Pinterest account.  How did they know I'd been there?  How did they know it was me?  Again, I've done at least two clean installs of Windows 10, so there were absolutely no Pinterest cookies on my system.  What is Chrome showing them to let them know who I am so that they could know to send an email to the address I had used to set up the account over a year ago?  This really bugs me.  I mean, I knew Chrome monitored browsing habits, but I had know idea they were letting websites know who I am.    

Lastly, is there any way I can stop this kind of thing from happening again?  I mean, other than using an in-cognito Chrome window, if that would even stop it.  Is there a Chrome setting?  An extension?  

Thanks for the help.  

Edit:  I should mention that I am signed into Chrome.  I only do this because of Youtube, which I use a good bit.  If they weren't connected I wouldn't be signed into Chrome.  If there is no other way, would NOT being signed into Chrome be the way to stop this from happening?  

[alfresco]

Browser Fingerprinting?

https://pixelprivacy.com/resources/browser-fingerprinting/

[GabeU]

@alfresco

I don't think that's what happened, but it's a very interesting read.  I had no idea.  I mean, I knew certain websites and companies would try to get as thorough a "snapshot" of your system as possible, but sheesh!  That's just unreal.  Everything they can do to know as much about you as possible, and for various reasons.  😞  

[MarkJFine]

Quite possible that you had a Pinterest cookie in your Google cloud (or whatever they call it for Chrome) that showed you had an account that was no longer active. In fact that seems like the only viable reason.

I've been tempted to set up a similar account for Firefox that allows you to use browsers on your phone and laptop seamlessly, and this is precisely the reason why I don't.

[GabeU]

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@MarkJFine wrote:

Quite possible that you had a Pinterest cookie in your Google cloud (or whatever they call it for Chrome) that showed you had an account that was no longer active. In fact that seems like the only viable reason.

Eek!  The thought of Google giving my info from the cloud is even worse, even if it's only basic info.  I think it may very well be time for me to give serious thought to switching to Firefox.  I've read a few articles, and a slew of posts over time, that indicate that Firefox is better for privacy.

I have dabbled with it over time, and I always have it installed as a secondary browser for when I need to compare something or other, but I could never set it exactly the way I liked because I couldn't find certain extensions.  I now have them.  I like it having a new tab open as a new, separate window, and on a web page I specify.  I could never get that to work before.  I'm not a tab person.   

I do like the idea of being able to use a browser in which I can be signed into Youtube, but don't have to be signed into the browser itself, as I don't care for the latter.  

[BirdDog · Accepted solution]

Think it could be the way Google+ is tied into Chrome these days. If you're logged into Google+ then it automatically keeps track of things like sites visited depending on the setting defaults and what you have allowed. YouTube is now part of the Google empire also so it is tied into your Google account.

This link basically is the key to the kingdom and what you choose to allow: https://myaccount.google.com/security?pli=1

Are you familiar with these Google settings: https://myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols  ?

EDIT: That's wild, you have to highlight the above link and go to it, won't work as a direct hyperlink.

[GabeU]

@BirdDog

Google and Youtube being connected is one of the things pushing me toward tyring to get used to Firefox.  

I did check Google +, and I guess by being signed into Google I'm signed into Google + automatically, but with Google + I was able to switch to my "brand" account, which was a separate account that I set up to use for Youtube, as I didn't want my real name being on any comments I may make.  Not because I'm trying to hide, but just because I don't want my name everywhere (even though it really, electronically, already is).  

And....  BINGO!!!!!  BirdDog, you get the gold star of the day!   

This is why, and it will now be rectified!  

Thank you! 

I must have signed into Pinterest last year using my Google info, and I just don't remember doing so.  I'm still probably going to give Firefox a spin, as this whole thing has bugged me a bit, but at least the mystery concerning Pinterest is now solved.  🙂 

[GabeU]

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@BirdDog wrote: 

Are you familiar with these Google settings: https://myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols  ?

EDIT: That's wild, you have to highlight the above link and go to it, won't work as a direct hyperlink.

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There's an extra space at the end of the address.  See how the underscore continues one space past the s?  I've done that before when pasting addresses.  

Edit:  I do have the things turned off on that page that I should.  🙂  

[BirdDog]

@GabeU, glad it worked. Can cross you off my Christmas list now. 

And yep, Google is collecting a lot but I'm getting too old to worry about it much. Can't imagine the info they'll have on the younger generations if it keeps up. Big Brother is no longer science fiction. Just private companies are as guilty, maybe more, than the government.

[alfresco]

I've always used Firefox and for my search engine I use DuckDuckgo, stupid name but they seem to be into privacy. https://spreadprivacy.com/device-privacy-protection/

  On Firefox there is an extension to block Google analytics.