How Using Google Could Embarrass You

[Trojan]

How Using Google Could Embarrass You

The next time you use Google along with 19 million other daily users and speed up your search with its new Web Accelerator, the records of your activities will remain in place for years, reports Reuters. And that has some very concerned. Could Google become a target for privacy abuse?

As Reuters points out, many online businesses track how their search engines are being used and even who is using them. But Google is unique in that it holds onto the information for years. The others regularly delete the data. Even libraries purge their database of borrowing records once a book is back on the shelf. That Google search information might be pretty handy to, say, government investigators who want to track the movements of U.S. residents. (Yes, they can do that legally using business records.)

"What if someone comes up to them and says, 'We want to know whenever this key word comes up'? All the capability is there, and it becomes a one-stop shopping center for all these kinds of things," Lauren Weinstein, an engineer who co-founded People for Internet Responsibility, a forum for online issues, explained to Reuters. For its part, Google defends the practice saying the log files help the company improve service, fight fraud and develop new products. "If it's useful, we'll hold on to it," Nicole Wong, a Google associate general counsel, told Reuters, noting that Google does comply with law enforcement investigations. But she did note that Google doesn't share the information with marketers and even its own employees must get executive approval to view such data.

As reported in What's New in April, Google is also experimenting with a new feature called "My Search History" that allows users to keep track of their past search requests and results. In other words, Google knows what you searched last night. And this morning. The end result, as The Associated Press so succinctly phrases it, is this computer peephole into your personal life could prove as embarrassing as it is helpful. To activate "My Search History," you must first create a personal login with a password; if you use Google's e-mail service, discussion groups, and answer services, you can use your existing log-in. Whenever you're logged on to the Internet, Google will display a detailed look at your past search activity. Luckily, there is a "pause" feature that will prevent it from being displayed in the index. The idea is to eventually store years of your personal search activity.

[Scott]

Every company does this. Look at amazon.com, they'll hold onto what you buy for years so they can suggest new products to you. It's not really a big thing, so they want to track your searches and put them in a huge database so they can make there services better.. I don't think there going to go through and say look, he searched for hardcore pr0n last night, wonder what hes upto.. I think it's more to optomize the service.

I track every error a user gets on this site, and I also track users movements, but it's only to see where this site is going. Period.

No problems here with it..

[atholon]

Someone is bored

I just don't share important infomation online.

[score]

porn

[-Tigger-]

i use google for everything lol, but if u hav a dynamic IP, then it just wipes the slate clean? when reset?

[DevilDog#1]

Run Windows Washer or similar program each time you run PC and before you shut it down. Works for me

[atholon]

there are alot of programs like that. There is one called ghost surf that ghosts your Ip

[Hellfighter]

will i like to know whats information they keep in storage, they keep your dept-card info too? card number and how much you spent on using it for items you buy online? what if some low lifer hack them again and this time get all the dirt?

will i use a dummy credit card, the account only has like USD-110.00 bucks in it if it get rip-off so be it, the other i use for the house/food hold buying needs in the local stores near by.

i did lost USD-548.00 online "Back of America" replace the lost and told me it better use a account that don't have a lot of money in it, this way they can't steal much from it online if a site get hacked and information is taken. Hackers go after banks system too.

[BADDOG]

I don't really care if they keep a record of my searches and as Panther said others do it too so it's no big thing.

Regards

[JonM]

what info could they give out? my ip. if someone wants that i'm sure there's an easier way to find it... (PHP) And like panther said tracking where people go is good to find out what's popular and what needs working on

[IcIshoot]

Originally posted by -Elite-
what info could they give out? my ip. if someone wants that i'm sure there's an easier way to find it... (PHP) And like panther said tracking where people go is good to find out what's popular and what needs working on

Tracking people around 1 site (such as panther with novahq.net) is one thing, but to have tracked every site I visit, every search word I search for, etc isn't necessary.

[DevilDog#1]

One wise man once said, "Knowledge is power!" I once say a documentary, can't recall where, on Google and they showed what they are logging. It made my hair stand. They track everything. Part the reason I never got Google Search bar.

[Scott]

They track your searches so they can make your results better.. If they never tracked anything, how would they know what people really want?

Amazon.com tracks every step you take on there site. They know what you visited, they know what you search for, they know what pages you enter on and what pages you leave on.

I started to do that here with my recode, simply so I know what needs to be worked on. I noticed that if there is a problem with the site, most people don't really know it's a problem, or they just don't say anything. It could take days before I know about it.

Companies know that people are mostly silent, it's the only real way to get RAW information from people, to make things better. It's not used to put you in jail or for some guy to call you and laugh at you casue your a porn freak.

And last but not least! Google isn't making ANYONE do it. It's your choise.

[EDGE]

no problems here

[-live-wire-]

I never have liked a thief..and I think "hackers" ..are thieves.. I don't think information data-bases are stealing..you give that stuff away..and i agree....if i owned google..i would want to know "how my customers are using it..how efficient,and how better to improve it..."""but of course I would black-mail all of you and retire to some nice lil retreat full of native women"""
<:{{{}}}><

[General Nuisance]

im setting up my site so that i can track who looks at what and when so i can focus on updateing and fixing those pages first...

also so i can track down any hackers that may come around...

its no big deal... all i get is your ip address and if you are looking at this your ip has been put on 100's of logs already.. and you cant stop it... its no big deal....