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Google Tracking

15 years ago

From the Timesonline: "The way the system works is that Google will use a "cookie" - a small piece of data inside a web browser - to track people as they visit one of the sites that display Google advertising. Google will then assign those users to categories based on the content of the pages they visit. For example, someone may be pigeon-holed as a football fan, a car owner or soon-to-be parent, based on the information gathered by Google." Thus, it appears that I will be tracked as I use the internet because there is no way at this time to avoid sites that have Google advertising. And in trying to avoid this abuse it surely means that I will refuse to do a search using Google since there are other good searchers available. Since I frequently use Google maps, I will also avoid this too.

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Comments (6)

owbist
15 years ago
Tracking cookies are old news really. Yes you are tracked but what harm does it do other than be annoying if you allow it to annoy you. This is not Google specific, they are all into this stuff. Remember not so long ago that Sony and Lexmark used keyloggers to spy on those who used their equipment?

There is far too much good about computers for us to allow these things to mar our enjoyment. As long as we try to prevent blatant abuse that is about as much as we can do.

In life we now get asked for phone number, post codes, driver's license number when they are not any part of the transaction and the weak kneed hand over that information. These are far more invasive than tracking cookies if you really consider it even for a few seconds. Companies have and will abuse at every opportunity.
homebound
15 years ago
Don't know if it's true, but I recall reading (somewhere) that this data can be merged with gmail user accounts (using more cookies), which is why I decided at that time to not have a gmail account. Can anybody confirm/deny this?

Many folks think their searches are benign and "fine", etc. But you'd be surprised how a story can be spun. Soon enough the trial lawyers will have a field day with conjecture as they read someone's search history feigning "shock and horror" for emphasis.
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mikie_gw
15 years ago
block the cookie for
googlesyndication.com
is a good start.
owbist
15 years ago
Homebound, that was the original premise of Google. They intended to insert advertising in each email sent using Gmail. This was to be achieved the same way you see certain words on web pages where there is a double underline. Move the cursor over those and up pops an advert.

They never seem to have instituted that so far, perhaps they are earning enough and holding that for when revenues need a boost LOL.

I looked for Mikie's cookie but do not have it, I remove all traces of Google desktop and toolbar other than the Google query space provided by Firefox.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
the only cookies I ever concern myself with are the 3rd party ones and I have my browsers set up to block those.
What are third-party cookies?

Firefox users If you use ad block plus, you know you can add subscriptions to aid in blocking ads and stuff, the creator of the excellent easylist which is the main subscription to get has another subscription that you can get called Easy Privacy, I use that one also.
Rick752's EasyList Subscriptions
"EasyPrivacy (blocks tracking,web bugs):
This is an OPTIONAL subscription to help protect your privacy. It is to be added along with the EasyList subscription. The EasyPrivacy subscription blocks many different types of tracking, web bugs, and marketing-analysis strings.
.... and best of all ... THEY'RE FREE!"
not2bright
15 years ago
Thus, it appears that I will be tracked as I use the internet because there is no way at this time to avoid sites that have Google advertising. And in trying to avoid this abuse it surely means that I will refuse to do a search using Google since there are other good searchers available. Since I frequently use Google maps, I will also avoid this too.

I think FF has a "customize google" extension that can prevent some of google's snooping. And some aspects of google (like google analytics) can be blocked in Opera, too.

Also, for searches I use
Scroogle Scraper.

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