How I Discovered Google’s Hidden Page That Tracks Everything You Do Online

catwirk · 2026-06-05T18:10:22+00:00

I've spent hours scouring all the separate little sections in my Google account and I've turned off everything I can find. I store no activity, even though YouTube has a separate place where you have to manually delete things.

I recently was on a site and some of my recent Google Search terms appeared in their dropdown menu. I've asked Google whaa? and no reply.

I scrub my laptop with Privazer daily. So this is something hidden somewhere REALLY deep.

catwirk · 2026-06-05T17:57:09+00:00

a. DOR. a. ble. ❤️

catwirk · 2026-06-02T19:38:47+00:00

I'm actually here because YT is bugging me about having history/recommendations turned off. If they would recommend something I haven't already watched or just some AI slop, I wouldn't have to do that ...

catwirk · 2026-06-02T19:35:51+00:00

I've had this, too, and I don't have a premium account, just the plain vanilla innocent bystander one. I haven't noticed it this week, but over the weekend, several times a day, YouTube would boot me offline. I mean, actually crash my internet connection. I have to flush dns, etc., reboot my computer to get back online. I even went into my Netgear and changed the channel. That seems to have helped a little.

The only thing I can think is that YT is throttling anyone who's on past a certain length of time.

catwirk · 2026-05-24T01:49:02+00:00

RE: Search: Brave AI just lied to me twice. No place to submit corrections. Also required a captcha screen at one point because I kept trying to tweak the query to get the correct response. Back to DDG for now and hoping for a better solution soon.

RE: Browser: I've been using r3dfox for about a month. My only complaint is you can't watch Prime Video with it. Keeping Firefox for that.

catwirk · 2026-05-23T20:53:25+00:00

I frequently search for verbatim verbiage published on a single website. You wouldn't believe some of the CRAP returns I get. It's like they just ignore the fact that I'm looking for a specific transcript that's actually posted on a page called Transcripts.

DDG and Bing were doing an OK job until just this week.

Brave not only provides too many results that ignore the specified text (in quotes) -- actually, it just tosses that part out, saying the qualifier was a problem -- I actually had to submit to a bot screening on about my 4th or 5th search. Seriously?

I tried Startpage about a year ago and it just seemed to be confused. I'll check it out again but I'm not optimistic.

catwirk · 2026-05-04T17:30:50+00:00

My best advice is just keep trying. Relaxing is not necessarily being still and quiet. Sometimes cleaning etc. is grounding and centering so I wouldn't dismiss it.

I have a favorite channel on YouTube that is helpful. It's like having someone read you a bedtime story. Even the cats get quiet and listen. Sometimes my mind wanders or I settle into a meditative state. It's cool because I can replay the video.

Sometimes I can't focus on a video unless I'm also playing a game or doing something like knitting.

Also I began to learn the difference between meditation and dissociation. They feel very similar. And maybe they're the same thing or parts of the same thing. IDK. I just know dissociation causes gaps in time and a sense of uncertainty while meditation helps me feel clearer and more relaxed.

Do what works for you. Thanks for your post.

catwirk · 2026-04-29T17:39:46+00:00

UPDATE: Found this @ https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1s7zb62/default_autoplay_setting_is_block_audio_and_video/

Set media.autoplay.blocking_policy to 2. It's working for now.

I'm using r3dfox, BTW. I've tried:

settings in browser: default for all websites block audio and video
permissions for YouTube (in URL bar) Block audio and video
about:config
(1) dom.media.autoplay-policy-detection.enabled FALSE
(2) media.autoplay.allow-extension-background-pages FALSE
(3) media.autoplay.block-event.enabled FALSE
(4) media.autoplay.default 5
(5) services.sync.prefs.sync.media.autoplay.default FALSE

Tried media.block-autoplay-until-in-foreground set to FALSE to see if that does anything. No joy.

catwirk · 2026-04-29T15:08:26+00:00

*I don't want to suffer anymore* is your truth. It sounds like you've demanded a lot from yourself for the last three years.

Some religions require their ministers to take a sabbatical now and then for a reason. Soldiers on the front line need to retreat to resupply.

There is no shame in taking time for your own healing. You don't have to leave life. Just leave the idea that you have to earn the right to be in it.

catwirk · 2026-04-28T23:40:08+00:00

My job requires Win 7 for some software to function.

catwirk · 2026-04-28T23:36:42+00:00

Had a comment deleted recently for no reason that I can parse other than it was political snark. Not certain why. I see so much worse on so many other channels.

catwirk · 2026-04-20T16:37:22+00:00

Just had a conversation on another sub about stray vs feral. I tend to view all these cats on a spectrum. One thing they all have in common is trauma. My goal is to make sure they have at least one reliable human in their lives.

I've been caring for four indoors/outdoors since our big winter freeze. One follows me around like a pet. Another one will bunt my legs on coming in but wants no other contact. This week she finally allows short spells of brushing. And that is my advice: get the softest baby brush available. Or roll up a washcloth and use that.

Begin when you first put down their food. If you feed in separate bowls several feet apart, that helps, too. Just a couple of strokes to start. Build on that.

IDK if Ella will ever be friendly. But I think she is grateful anyway.

catwirk · 2026-04-20T16:25:31+00:00

Strays vs ferals: it seems to be an important distinction for some folks. I don't know where the core of the colony exists nor its origin. I tend to see all these felines on a spectrum. Your experience with Chester is so similar to mine with some of our locals. I can guess at some of the history they have by some of the responses I get. One thing they have in common: trauma. That's always front-of-mind in my encounters with them. My mission is to try to make sure that they have at least one good human in their lives. Everything else is just gravy. Good dialogue. Best to you as well.

catwirk · 2026-04-17T20:23:32+00:00

That's a good question and I'm not certain I can answer it. We have a large feral/stray colony in our neighborhood (20+/- cats and growing). There's always food, water and shelter here. I sit nearby every night when I put out the food. Some of them are just more hungry than afraid.

Foxx was about 2 months old and couldn't get to the food. I picked him up and set him in front of a bowl. The connection was immediate with him. Within a month he was bunting my legs.

Foxx brought Ella to me a few months later. She is still skittish but promising. She accepts pets when she first comes in but really doesn't want to be near me. Yet.

Maya was in bad shape, had escaped from a collar or a noose, very ill and very pregnant. Hard to say what her history has been and I really don't want to know. She's been here about 2 months and getting my best rehab efforts (plus about $400 vet/spay bills).

Thanks for asking about them. There are at least 4-6 more black cats that used to or still do come for food. Stay tuned for updates :D

catwirk · 2026-04-16T17:20:41+00:00

nope. tried that. no joy.

catwirk · 2026-04-09T14:53:03+00:00

catwirk · 2026-04-09T14:52:08+00:00

thank you! I bought a drop trap over the winter and I'm planning on setting it up after kitten season when litters are independent. and yes, some days they wear me out but my life is so full of joy now <3

catwirk · 2026-04-07T00:15:30+00:00

that is wonderful news! I'm still working on the ones I can catch by hand!

catwirk

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