The new google policies always change by a few things like the looks, the info, and the new rules they always come up with. Some of the new policies they come with is about the security info or the new google versions such as the change of themes and the new settings for your account. I think google has ways to always change a little somthing different each time about their privacy policy.
To block your info or the websites you look at without google knowing is by: making your info different from what or who you really are, they also have these third party applications which is all the info they collect from you by google, when you enable a third party application is proceeded under the privacy policy info collected by the third party app. provider is governed by their privacy policy.
The google dashboard is for learning more about your google account and all the things you put on it about yourself. It helps you learn ways to access your account and teaches you different things you can do with your account.