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Google's Scary Search Procedures

15 years ago

I received the msg below from a Google search. The HELLO line is from an email msg I was writing at the same time. Can I keep Google from searching on my computer???? That is too scary

Judie

11 results stored on your computer - Hide - About

HELLO - huh? Allison is working at Publix and Robin is working a little. Aunt

3M US: FiltreteÂ Home Fil.. - Supply Company Publix Sutherlands Dixieline

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Comments (6)

fruitjarfla
15 years ago
Agree, your comment/situation is scary. But Google does, in fact, advertise that it will search your computer. From someone who tries to avoid Google, what do you do with Google, other than as you mention - a Google search? I try to avoid Google searches but I am probably kidding myself using other search engines. Privacy is an historic word. Most of us are becoming an open book. Innocent GardenWeb and other internet site questions and comments are for the world to see and to pry. Using Yahoo, here's one quote concerning Google computer search: "If you use the Search Across Computers feature and don't configure Google Desktop very carefullyÂand most people won'tÂGoogle will have copies of your tax returns, love letters, business records, financial and medical files, and whatever other text-based documents the Desktop software can index. (Source: EFF)" That article with the caution also says that the scare is far too excessive and the only person who can access such data is the user. But call me a sceptic. Apple's first iPhone was hacked within a month and the recent iPhone3G was hacked within hours after its release.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
you must have google desktop search on your pc it will index and then search for anything you ask it to find on your pc. I do not use desktop search, if you do not want it then you can get rid of it. But it is just searching your pc for what ever you had asked for. If you do not have desktop search that does not happen.

All search engines are pretty much the same, public info is out there and it is free for the looking so anything that is public is game to come up. The internet just makes things easier to find, you don't have to run around searching public records at courthouses and libraries anymore.
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not2bright
15 years ago
I saw on the news a few weeks ago that some former Google employees started their own search engine:

www.cuil.com (pronounced "cool")

Supposed to be strong on privacy. Oddly formatted search results, though, IMO.
not2bright
15 years ago
P.S.

http://www.ixquick.com/
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
I do not like the new cuil at all and I caution anyone trying it because it does not filter or alert to infected or rogue sites at all, several people who just tried it out ended up on the tech forums needing help to clean their pc after going to sties that were infected.

I use google search with mcafee site advisor and NEVER ever visit a red listed site.

Ixquick is a decent search engine it is pretty fast but does not give as many results as google.
there is a new visual search engine called searchme.com that is different, lets you flip through the actual webpages like a photo album.

My daily use engine is google, just works.
magothyrivergirl
15 years ago
How do you tell if you have Google Desktop search on a Mac?

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