Search history, also known as web browsing history or internet history, refers to a tool or resource in a search engine that tracks the websites and web pages a user visits. For example, when you conduct searches (text or voice), visit several web pages, or click ads, Google, Bing, Yahoo, or any other search engine will track your activities. The search engine will then use your data to personalize your search results.
This means you can also get targeted ads from companies, products, or service providers based on subjects you have searched for in the past. For example, suppose you search for the price of a water heater in your locality. After a while, you will notice you begin to see ads for different water heaters on certain websites you open. This is because your search engine records your search history, making it possible for you to receive targeted ads.
Major search engines also offer their users private browsing or incognito mode. With that mode, the user’s browsing history is not recorded. Hence, the private browsing mode prevents third parties from collecting users’ data from search engines for targeted advertising or other purposes.
