This guide provides a detailed and complete set of instructions for home users with no IT knowledge to enhance the security and privacy of their Google account. It focuses on setting the account to share the bare minimum of information with Google, minimizing advertisements, and adjusting privacy settings to be as secure as possible while keeping the steps simple and straightforward.

1. Open your web browser and go to https://myaccount.google.com.
2. Sign in with your Google account credentials.
3. Once signed in, you will be redirected to the Google Account home page, which contains various options for managing your account.

  {{ :google-account-home.png?nolink |Google Account Home}}

• Image Description*: The Google Account home page where you can manage your personal info, data, and privacy settings.

1. Navigate to the “Security” tab on the left side of the page.
2. Under “Signing in to Google”, enable 2-Step Verification for an extra layer of security.

1. Explanation: 2-Step Verification helps protect your account by requiring a second form of authentication, such as a code sent to your mobile device.
   
2. Code Breakdown: The process involves adding a phone number, which Google will use to send verification codes each time you sign in.
   

  {{ :google-2step-verification.png?nolink |Enable 2-Step Verification}}

• Image Description*: Example of the 2-Step Verification setup screen.

3. Review the “Your Devices” section and remove any devices you no longer use or recognize.

  {{ :google-your-devices.png?nolink |Review Devices}}

• Image Description*: A list of devices currently signed in with your Google account.

4. Check the “Third-party apps with account access” and revoke access from any apps that you do not recognize or no longer use.

  {{ :google-third-party-apps.png?nolink |Review Third-Party Apps}}

• Image Description*: The section where you manage third-party apps that have access to your Google account.

1. Navigate to the “Data & Privacy” tab.
2. Under “Activity controls”, pause Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History.

1. Explanation: Pausing these activities limits the data Google collects on your searches, locations, and video watch history.
   

  {{ :google-activity-controls.png?nolink |Pause Activity Controls}}

• Image Description*: The Activity controls section with options to pause data collection activities.

3. Scroll down to “Ad settings” and select “Ad personalization”.

1. Turn off “Ad personalization”.
2. Explanation: Disabling ad personalization will reduce the number of targeted ads you see, which are based on your personal data.

  {{ :google-ad-personalization.png?nolink |Disable Ad Personalization}}

• Image Description*: The Ad personalization settings where you can turn off personalized ads.

4. Review the “Manage your data & privacy” section and select “Manage what you share on Google services”.

1. Adjust the visibility of your information on Google services to “Only you”.

  {{ :google-manage-data-privacy.png?nolink |Manage Data and Privacy}}

• Image Description*: The section where you can control what data and information you share with Google.

1. Under the “Data & Privacy” tab, scroll to “Ad settings”.
2. Select “Ad settings” and ensure “Ad personalization” is off as discussed.
3. Scroll down and disable all the topics Google suggests for ads.

1. Explanation: This prevents Google from using your data to serve you ads based on these topics.

  {{ :google-ad-settings.png?nolink |Disable Ad Topics}}

• Image Description*: Ad settings screen where you can disable ad topics.

4. Opt-out of Google’s ad network by going to https://optout.networkadvertising.org

• Google Takeout (exports information collected)
  
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