As of 2025, Android has 3.3 billion users worldwide and holds a 71% global market share (DemandSage.com). A large chunk of their users are in the US, with 133.4 million people owning an Android smartphone (Backlink.io). And while the core operating system powering Android is open source, Google develops and maintains a proprietary version of Android, including Google Mobile Services (GMS). More importantly, most Android devices come with the Google Play Store pre-installed.
The fact that they’re so closely linked means Google, from Google Accounts to third-party apps, always has a watchful eye on Android users. Downloads, Google searches, Google Play Store searches, and all personal information input are recorded and stored.
Follow our guide below to learn how Android users can remove sensitive information online.
How Google Collects Data from Android Users
Google has carefully designed multiple methods of data collection from Android users for different and specific reasons. This table outlines the data type, method of collection, and reason for collection:
| Data type | Source / Mechanism | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Unique device identifiers (Android ID, IMEI, MAC, Advertising ID) | Collected via Google Play Services, Google Mobile Ads SDK | Device recognition, analytics, ad targeting |
| IP address | Automatically captured by Google Mobile Ads SDK | Location estimation, analytics, fraud prevention |
| App usage & interaction data (app launches, taps, session durations) | Google Play Services SDKs, Mobile Ads SDK | App performance tracking, feature usage insights, analytics |
| Diagnostics & crash reports | Google Play Services, Crashlytics, Ads SDK | App stability, debugging, quality improvement |
| Device info (model, OS version, network carrier, browser type) | Google servers receive this during updates/accesses | Feature compatibility, device-specific feature delivery |
| Location data (precise or approximate) | GPS, Wi‑Fi & cell‑tower scans, IP lookup, Wi‑Fi access‑point mapping | Location features, ads targeting, maps, services |
| Cookies & advertising identifiers | Via Play Store and Play Services at boot time (per Trinity study) | Persistent ad tracking, cross-service profiling |
| Android Fit / sensor data (steps, health metrics) | Google Fit APIs | Health tracking, fitness services |
| Saved game data, achievements, social graph | Play Games Services SDK | Game progression, social features |
How Android Users Can Remove Sensitive Information Online
If you see that table as eye-opening, and you want to submit a request to remove personal information from Google, it’s a sort of easy but long-winded and ongoing process.
Google doesn’t actually store any content, so if you search for your personal information online and find it, it means the information must be published on a source site. The websites most likely to publish your data include
- Data Brokers
- Social Media
- Online Accounts
- Any Other Website
There are different methods for data removal depending on the source. For data brokers, you can request to opt out and have your data removed. Legally, they can add it again after 90 days, so it’s an ongoing request.
For Google, they have Google’s removal tool. They’ll review your request and should remove your data shortly after.
Still, even once they remove it, it won’t be long until something reappears again. Anything you do to remove your personal data from the internet is a process you must repeat regularly.
The Risks of Not Removing Your Personal Information
The risks of not removing your personal information from the internet are high. Identity theft fraud, for example, caused $12.7 billion in financial losses in 2024, according to Experian. And, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), they received over 1.1 million complaints of identity theft and roughly 2.6 million complaints of related fraud.
Other risks include:
- Harassment
- Data breaches
- Stalking
In our opinion, it’s essential to regularly remove your data from the internet in 2025. Android users are constantly sharing their personal information without even realizing it. And whilst Google doesn’t share your personal information without your consent, third parties might sell it to data brokers.
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Filed Under: Android News, Guides
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