Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

[Vasili]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Correct.
(That's another reason I have my BB password-protected....not just because I intended it for Associates only as a "Resource Center" but to keep the 'slurp spiders' out).
Any "Comments" I manually post in static Client Comments pages....I prefer customers to call me live 24/7 for a solution rather than play....

COUNT YOU IN TOO, ROB??

[Nite Producer]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

So now you telling me that they get me anyway, I just need to clean up my cookies as I did few minutes ago everytime I make a search in google.

I guess that's the only way.

I had that idea in my mind years ago, "because I don't trust internet anyway", to buy another computer, maybe a laptop will be nice where I can store all my private documents and them have one for internet where I don't have to give a damn about what's inside.

That true that google gets you in all around your computer, even i did a local search in windows, I found some files like googlebla bla bla.dll in my windows folder, I don't remember exactly the name but it has something like net connect or other.

Anyway I would like to thank each one of you to tell finaly.

[Vasili]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Good....looks like we are already starting to form a "core group"....

Now!
Let's see if our subtle "nudges" to shy away from Google will take hold and be "the seed" that grows into the mighty oak for all to seek shady refuge.....

[bill2006]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

My preference is for Yahoo. And yes, you should clean cookies and temp files very chance you get.

[FPRob]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

It isn't performing the search that makes the cookie send to you. It's when you click on a link after performing the search.. Yup Vasili, The Google Resistance Cell? hahaaaa

[Vasili]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Clicking on ANYTHING Google....just like adding a php script to scour IP's to your BV site....

Kinda like it...implies we might be "Armed & Dangerous" Growwwwllll!
LOL
OOOHrahhh!

[FPRob]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

<does twenty marine-push-ups>

[racefan20]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Yeah, that's it, worry about Google. They are, afterall the ones who defied a demand from the Feds for them to release information about searches.

But everyone will just go on their merry way, enjoying AOL and recommending them to others, all the while...


AOL draws fire after releasing user search data

NEW YORK - AOL Monday apologized for releasing information on about 20 million keyword searches in a move that ignited a firestorm of criticism about privacy rights on the Internet.

AOL, the online unit of media conglomerate Time Warner Inc. , said it launched an internal investigation into how a research division of the company mistakenly released the data on its Web site about 10 days ago.

AOL released search information on about 20 million searches done from its software by about 658,000 anonymous AOL users over a three-month period, representing about one-third-of-1-percent of searches conducted over that time.

The disclosure, which AOL said was not cleared through official channels, came months after Google Inc. won kudos from privacy pundits for refusing to comply with U.S. government requests for search data on its users.

"This was a screw up, and we're angry and upset about it," said Andrew Weinstein, an AOL spokesman. "It was an innocent-enough attempt to reach out to the academic community with new research tools, but it was obviously not appropriately vetted, and if it had been, it would have been stopped in an instant."

Although user information was not disclosed, keyword searches have included users who search their own names.

The data escaped notice until this weekend, when blogs began linking to the study. Techcrunch was among the first blogs to report the data's release.

According to these blogs, which were able to download the file, searches among some AOL users included one who conducted a series of searches on "how to kill your wife," "murder photo" and "www.murderdpeople.com" (sic).

Techcrunch said the most serious problem with the disclosure was that many people search their own names.

"Combine these ego searches with porn queries and you have a serious embarrassment. Combine them with "buy ecstasy" and you have evidence of a crime. Combine it with an address, social security number, etc., and you have an identity theft waiting to happen," said Techcrunch blogger Michael Arrington in a posting. "The possibilities are endless."

One legal expert said the disclosure probably did not violate the company's own privacy policy as the data did not include personally identifiable information.

"This is more of a business snafu than anything else," Jason Epstein, head of the business and technology group at law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC said.

The link to the actual file, containing searches done by users whose personal IDs are replaced with random numbers, is no longer available on AOL's Web site.

"Although there was no personally identifiable data linked to these accounts, we're absolutely not defending this. It was a mistake, and we apologize," AOL's Weinstein said. "We've launched an internal investigation into what happened, and we are taking steps to ensure that this type of thing never happens again."

[Vasili]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

I knew you would come out of hiding once the smell of "BreakFree" filled the air and you heard the sound of beer being loaded into the back of a pickup....

LOL! We need your expertise with the heavy arms, General....

[racefan20]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

I knew you would come out of hiding once the smell of "BreakFree" filled the air and you heard the sound of beer being loaded into the back of a pickup....

LOL! We need your expertise with the heavy arms, General....

Nope, this General will remain retired. But I will say, if anyone here thinks Yahoo and the rest aren't working very hard to to create the the same type of system Google has in place, you're out of touch with reality.

In my opinion, the biggest offenders to users are AOL, MSN and Yahoo with Google being pretty far behind them. Anyone ever used email with AOL, MSN or Yahoo? Most likely. How much SPAM did (do) you find in your inbox? Tons. Try Google's Gmail and see the difference. They keep that junk in the SPAM folder where it belongs.

And God help the AOL herd - that company adds more adware and spyware to their machines than any other third party could hope to.

[FPRob]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Totally agree about AOL. I think Google come under a lot of criticism because of there flat denial to bend according to government orders. I can't ever remember that being the case with those other companies

[racefan20]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Totally agree about AOL. I think Google come under a lot of criticism because of there flat denial to bend according to government orders. I can't ever remember that being the case with those other companies

Which is exactly why I'm a huge supporter of Google. All the others record personally indentifying info and I know Yahoo (can't speak to the rest) states that pretty clearly. But the thing with Google - and this is my opinion - is that they are willing to fight to the point of risking jail time to keep that data from George W. Bush's efforts to control all elements of freedom in the USA.

[FPRob]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Ahhhh... now that George has come into the chat I can definitely at least sympathise with Google... I still don't think that they are doing the right thing by us though.

A tricky situation, a definite high five for going against George and his blatant paranoia but a big no no for ripping me off at every turn.

;)

[Vasili]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Ahhhh... now that George has come into the chat I can definitely at least sympathise with Google... I still don't think that they are doing the right thing by us though.

A tricky situation, a definite high five for going against George and his blatant paranoia but a big no no for ripping me off at every turn.

;)

Thus, the dilemma!
This all started from a discussion/reaction posted from AOL's attempt to collect revenue for delivering email to their clients, whether or not it was permission-based or expected by the client.....

There are pretty serious motions now coming to light that should this "classification/delivery" of email program run into opposition, AOL, MSN, and even Yahoo! will look to ways of charging clients for outgoing email...and I imagine it will be based on blocks of volume (100,200,500/mo.). Who knows?
> It's all about retaining a customer group that can be marketed to as a "captive audience" for a premium charged to businesses.

Google may appear to be "protective" of the data they so anally collect, but the fact they are so aggressive and adamant about using it arbritrarily for their own means to 'force-structure' online status or class with participation in their various programs remains a nefarious effort at best....

And on it goes....

[pemdas21]

Re: Google Data Collection... Be Worried!!

Well, here is a phone number for google +1-650-318-0200 ... And here is their email adress lp@google.com or arin-contact@google.com... Drop them a line, or give them a buzz... Happy screwing google back. :)