Google and privacy

[dryfly]

It is a known event that Google tracks searches if you are logged into your account. I'm wondering what is the extent of their tracking searches if you do not have an account?

Obviously one way to do it would be to put a cookie in you computer. the next question is how to get rid of it. Since I always use "private browsing mode" in Firefox I don't show any cookies available to delete.

[mlts22]

I think every ISP or storage provider has something in place. Just the allegation that they were not doing active measures to stop child porn can put a medium sized company out of business.

As for risks, I recommend people prioritize. Compared to the Chinese and Russian malware outfits churning out the latest successor to CryptoLocker this second, worrying about the NSA or Google is way down on the list.

Worried about the ISP? VPN software and servers are available. Worried about physical security? Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 support BitLocker in their Professional editions. Worried about attacks through your Web browser (which is, as I recall, the primary source of infection?) Use Chrome or Firefox and either a sandboxing program (Sandboxie comes to mind) or a virtual machine to run the Web browser under. I personally use both so malware has to get out of the sandbox, then out of a VM before it can do damage.

[1492]

bwanshoom wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

I watched it on the news here down in Florida. To say I was shocked was an understatement. Sure didn't know google does that. I'll try and do search on the local tv stations and see if they listed it. News like that is so small they sometimes don't even put it on their website. Florida is more into daily bank robbers daily hit and runs and bodies in the woods.. 😞

Google has had a long-standing public policy that they will report you to the authorities if you are involved in child porn. I imagine that any photo-processing business would have similar policies/requirements.

I don't know if the case you're referring to involves this.

Not just Google but most ISP also track and scan for similar digital fingerprints as ten states have laws that require computer techs and ISP to report such activities to law enforcement authorities including Arkansas, California, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas. This case involved an individual in CA, so Google was following the law.

[Gonzo42]

My last job as a professional involved searching the internet for information about 50% of my time. I like to keep my computer(s) infection free. Mostly what I described above I do on the same day I get software updates so I keep up with any security improvements.

[rockhillmanor]

I'm not particularly worried about the US government...

:B

'worried' is not my issue.
The issue is the right to privacy. Just because one chooses to use the internet does not mean they have to give up their right to privacy.

Albeit the internet is doing a great job of brain washing the public that once you log on you have no rights.:(

[Popsie]

Pirate wrote:

Popsie wrote:
We've switched over to duckduckgo - here is what they have to say http://donttrack.us.

Don't believe everything they tell you. You should duckduckgo duckduckgo vs. google to get some more opinions. I am not convinced ddg is any better than any others. If they are based in the USA, they are subject to NSA and other gov demands for data.

I'm not particularly worried about the US government. I know they regularly screw things up, but I'm also of the opinion that most of the people that work for the US government do have the best interests of our country at heart. (I'm not sanguine about the motivation of politicians at all levels though.)

I do feel that we are much more likely to be personally affected by the misuse of private information by companies like the banks, retailers, etc.

[camperforlife]

I do business with the military, I do business with the DOC, I do business in Saudi Arabia, do you think I worry about Google knowing something about me the government doesn't already know? You guys must have much more interesting personal lives than me if you worry about Google knowing your shopping habits.

The only way not to be tracked on the internet is not owning a computer. It might be hard to accept by the conspiracy theorists but 99.9999999% of the internet tracking is to determine what you will want to buy tomorrow, not what is going on in your personal life.

[Gonzo42]

I heartily recommend Ccleaner, available at piriform.com. I always get the latest free version, and update every time a newer version comes out. It will clean the dickens out of your computer. All cookies will be gone.

After that I always defrag the disc, then come back again with Ccleaner and wipe the disk. This will get rid of any fragments that can resurrect themselves and create havoc on your drive. I do this procedure at least once, sometimes twice a week. Of course I have Norton and other goodies also.

I use Mozilla Firefox for most of my browsing now along with Bing for searches and Google doesn't bother me much.

[Pirate1]

Popsie wrote:
We've switched over to duckduckgo - here is what they have to say http://donttrack.us.

Don't believe everything they tell you. You should duckduckgo duckduckgo vs. google to get some more opinions. I am not convinced ddg is any better than any others. If they are based in the USA, they are subject to NSA and other gov demands for data.

[MrWizard]

I watched it on the news here down in Florida. To say I was shocked was an understatement. Sure didn't know google does that. I'll try and do search on the local tv stations and see if they listed it. News like that is so small they sometimes don't even put it on their website. Florida is more into daily bank robbers daily hit and runs and bodies in the woods.. 😞

Here in Calif, it's the car chase of the day and the drive by shooting of the day

[Popsie]

We've switched over to duckduckgo - here is what they have to say http://donttrack.us.

[BoonHauler]

rockhillmanor wrote:

Google and privacy

2 words that don't go together.
IMHO Google is "THE" worst.

google, yahoo, twitter, facebook, apple....they are all intertwined to gather as much info on a person they can to sell and report to gov agencies.:W

Very well said and a true story, they all work hand and glove with all the alphabet soup agencies.

Very uncool in my eyes :M

[rockhillmanor]

USARMYCW wrote:
If you have your computer repaired and the repairman finds bad stuff he notifies the police.

Key word being "finds". Google routinely "scans".

Like I said that particular crime was a bad one but I have a problem with them admitting they 'routinely scan' and report to the /policegov. Issue was with what else do they scan for?

[USARMYCW]

If you have your computer repaired and the repairman finds bad stuff he notifies the police.

[bwanshoom]

rockhillmanor wrote:

I watched it on the news here down in Florida. To say I was shocked was an understatement. Sure didn't know google does that. I'll try and do search on the local tv stations and see if they listed it. News like that is so small they sometimes don't even put it on their website. Florida is more into daily bank robbers daily hit and runs and bodies in the woods.. 😞

Google has had a long-standing public policy that they will report you to the authorities if you are involved in child porn. I imagine that any photo-processing business would have similar policies/requirements.

I don't know if the case you're referring to involves this.