Can anyone tell me, in layman's terms...

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by red 928

Log into gmail in an incognito window.

They can still track everything you say or do, but it will make you feel better about it

That's what I do

[DavidI]

Each of us has a "consumer identification number" that tracks your interests and purchases. This information is sold to various data collections sites for vendors for marketing and sales. I learned a great deal about cyber issues in my previous career.

"A customer identification number (CIN/Customer ID) is a unique code a business assigns to a customer for tracking, service, and security, acting like a digital name tag across different interactions, while also being a key part of regulatory requirements like the US Patriot Act's Customer Identification Program (CIP) for banks to verify identities to prevent financial crime. It links all customer data, enabling personalized experiences and streamlined operations, and can be found on statements or online portals, varying in format (e.g., 6-11 digits) depending on the institution."

Business exist to make money. If something is offered as "free", your information is being collected and sold.

Rock on, David

[DavidI]

A current example of this is the arrest of the pipe bombing attempt suspect. Here is the story:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI on Thursday arrested a man accused of placing two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack, an abrupt breakthrough in an investigation that for years flummoxed law enforcement and spawned conspiracy theories about Jan. 6, 2021.

The arrest marks the first time investigators have publicly identified a suspect in an act that has been an enduring mystery for nearly five years in the shadow of the violent Capitol insurrection.

The suspect was identified as Brian J. Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, but key questions remain unanswered after his arrest on explosives charges, including a possible motive and what connection if any the act had to the assault on the Capitol the following day by supporters of President Donald Trump.

Law enforcement officials reviewed credit card purchases of pipe bomb components, cellphone tower data and a license plate reader to zero in on Cole, according to an FBI affidavit filed in the case. The FBI and Justice Department declined to elaborate on what led them to the suspect, but characterized his arrest as the result of a reinvigorated investigation during the Trump administration and credited a fresh analysis of already-collected evidence and data.

“Let me be clear: There was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said at a news conference.

Calls to relatives of Cole listed in public records were not immediately returned Thursday. Hours after Cole was taken into custody, unmarked law enforcement vehicles lined the cul-de-sac where Cole’s home is while FBI agents helped shoo away onlookers. Authorities were seen entering the house and examining the trunk of a car nearby.

[wdfifteen]

While we're explaining Gmail - when someone sends me an Adobe PDF via Gmail, Gmail doesn't allow me to simply open it in its original Adobe format? If I try to print it, all I get is 4 pages of crap, and if I save it, it is automatically saved to Google Drive. It took me forever to find the little tiny arrow up in the right-hand corner that lets me download it as a PDF. Only then I can open and print it without any interference from Gmail.