Advice on Google

[drpepper]

Hey Guys

This post might be a little off topic, but I thought people here might appreciate why I'm concerned. Its a well known fact that Google collects personal information about its users. What we don't know, is what exactly they do with it. Who gets to see it? By law, in the UK anyway, we are entitled to see ALL of out own personal information because of the Data Protection Act. Anyhow, I was wandering around the Google page, and came across the Web History section. I don't know if this is new or was implemented a long while ago, but it was unsettling. For those who are unaware, the Google web history section stores every single search you put into Google, and the page you visited from that search. There was a 10month list on my web history. I hate the fact that Google and whoever else THEY allow, not us, can view the data. I was just wondering what people thought of this? And can anyone suggest any other search engines?

Thanks Guys

[aks44]

can anyone suggest any other search engines?

clusty.com (http://clusty.com)

Also, if you *must* use google, disable cookies...

[drpepper]

I'm currently using the iGoogle thing as my homepage as its convenient. But I decided just to make my own, its only RSS feeds for info and links to email. Clusty looks good, thanks aks44 :)

[aks44]

I'm currently using the iGoogle thing as my homepage as its convenient. But I decided just to make my own, its only RSS feeds for info and links to email.

netvibes.com (http://www.netvibes.com/)? :p

[x0as]

I turned web history off a while ago, I'd rather not have my searches available.

[tbroderick]

What you want is black box search.

http://www.blackboxsearch.com/

Disabling cookies are good, but the search page will still log some info (ip, date and time, language, browser, etc). Searching through proxy is the way to go.

[drpepper]

I've had firefox ask me what to do with cookies for a while. It works quite well and I clear my history etc regular but this still doesn't help with data on their side, ah well. Black box seems good too, gonna give them a go for a while and then decide. Netvibes is good but seems a bit overkill, lol. Still worth a go tho!

Cheers Guys

[n3tfury]

netvibes.com (http://www.netvibes.com/)? :p

i've been using netvibes for almost two years and i cannot live without it. no, seriously.

[Kingsley]

I don't care. There's nothing I've got to hide.

[reyfer]

Hey Guys

This post might be a little off topic, but I thought people here might appreciate why I'm concerned. Its a well known fact that Google collects personal information about its users. What we don't know, is what exactly they do with it. Who gets to see it? By law, in the UK anyway, we are entitled to see ALL of out own personal information because of the Data Protection Act. Anyhow, I was wandering around the Google page, and came across the Web History section. I don't know if this is new or was implemented a long while ago, but it was unsettling. For those who are unaware, the Google web history section stores every single search you put into Google, and the page you visited from that search. There was a 10month list on my web history. I hate the fact that Google and whoever else THEY allow, not us, can view the data. I was just wondering what people thought of this? And can anyone suggest any other search engines?

Thanks Guys

You know you can delete and disable your Web History, right?

[Depressed Man]

If your using Firefox you can use the Customize Google extension.

[Taino]

I hate the fact that Google and whoever else THEY allow, not us, can view the data.

Well ya know if you would stop searching on how to make thermo nuclear devices you wouldnt have anything to worry about. :KS

hah kidding :) hmm you can use those other alternate search engines that offer more privacy or use a proxy server and also look into hiding your identity online, its funny because to learn about that you'd have to use a search engine... hehe.

:popcorn:

[drpepper]

You can delete and disable it yes, but Google still collect and keep the data anyway, check the T&C. Taino, I came across that too! lol. Been using clusty tonight and its been going well. Gonna have a play with netvibes tomorrow!

[LookTJ]

I turned web history off a while ago, I'd rather not have my searches available.I turned it off almost 8 months cause I didn't like having my searches open to the public.