Smartphone owners, have you ever felt like someone’s watching you? Spoiler alert: they are!

A recent study by D.J. Leith from Trinity College Dublin reveals that Google has taken their snooping game to the next level. They don’t even wait for you to crack open an app before they start collecting your data. Yes, you read that right, your Android device is tracking you as soon as you take it out of the box!

Leith unearthed a fascinating pile of data points, revealing at least 14 trackers, cookies, and device identifiers being set up immediately upon activation, and there is no escaping them once they’re in place. We’re talking about a level of surveillance that your nosy neighbor would envy.

The best part? There’s no opt-out option. According to Leith, “No consent is sought or given for storing any of these cookies and other data.”… Sounds like Google is leading the charge to make sure they know everything about you, well, except your favorite color.

The problem starts the minute you sign in with your Google account. That’s when the trackers come to life, covering everything from Google Play to Gmail. It’s like a surprise party for data harvesters, except instead of cake, you get your entire online life dissected.

Some trackers are more nefarious than others. Take the DSID cookie, which claims to personalize ads based on your activities. But that vague Google explanation? Doesn’t really instill confidence in the whole “We won’t sell your data” spiel, does it? And don’t even get me started on the Google Android ID, which survives even a factory reset, so, let’s just say they really don’t want you to forget them.

Google has become known for cozying up with privacy issues lately. Their recent fiasco with the SafetyCore feature was a prime example, as they pushed it onto users without a hint of consent or clarity about what it actually does.

So, what do we take away from this digital drama? That navigating your privacy settings is like a treasure hunt for some elusive safety, a lot of searching with little to show for it. Disturbingly, users can’t just delete Google’s prying eyes. Instead, they’ll have to scroll through a maze of settings that often lead right back to more trackers.

At this point, it’s almost a cliché: if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product. So, keep that in mind the next time you swipe on your favorite app. Google is definitely keeping score, whether you want them to or not.