Protect from Google Data mining of personal Info

[Nbala]

Hi,
So, I've been doing so net-research on the whole Google/Privacy issue.
And, honestly- I do NOT like what I am hearing.
#1: That Google places a cookie (unique identifier for you) which sends all searches performed to Google & links with your google ID. With Chrome this goes for even starting to type it in the search bar. EG: A "How to Cheat Insurance" search using Wireshark it displays that ' How / How to / How to Cheat / How to Cheat Insurance ' are each sent as cookie info to Google, and there (probably) associated with your Google ID or with whatever Infocloud they have made from you- whether or not you perform the search.
Then theres the issues of Google Docs etc mining data. ( Eg, your resume.. ) Even a project to use the microphone to define what tv you are watching to target you further.
Anyways tangent aside- my question is:

• In Ubuntu WHERE are the cookies located (and any other deletable internet data / personal information) so I can delete them.

The Google cookie which relays each aspect of your life has a 2 year lifespan and renews at each use of a google app...
I am realllllllly easy going- I didn't care about them recording information even when I should have, but now it is so pervasive and data-deep that I am concerned.

• How do I remove any Google data-mining cookies, etc? In my windows days, things like Hijack this would delete ALL ( sometimes too much ) personal data from the registry down, but in Ubuntu...?

Thank you very much- I really do appreciate any ideas on this!
Nbala

[michaelzap]

First, I suggest that you be a bit more skeptical in your "research" instead of just accepting the most exaggerated critiques as fact (which your post strongly suggests to me).

Here are some links you may find useful:
http://www.google.com/ads/preferences/plugin/
http://google-anon.com/
http://www.google.com/privacy.html
http://arstechnica.com/security/news...ous-enough.ars
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Google

[Bachstelze]

• In Ubuntu WHERE are the cookies located (and any other deletable internet data / personal information) so I can delete them.

• How do I remove any Google data-mining cookies, etc? In my windows days, things like Hijack this would delete ALL ( sometimes too much ) personal data from the registry down, but in Ubuntu...?

Depends on your browser...

[Rubi1200]

If you use Firefox:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=671604

Security:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=510812

What you should know:

Linux is not Windows; I know this has been said before, but you need to try and approach things differently.

Q. Cookies

A. Depends on your browser, but they all have an option to delete them (even IE)

Q. LSO's (you didn't even ask about them!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Shared_Object

A. Firefox addon called Better Privacy

[anomie]

So, I've been doing so net-research on the whole Google/Privacy issue.
And, honestly- I do NOT like what I am hearing.

If you're sufficiently concerned, the answer is to not use their services, period (IMO).

Don't use Google's search, gmail, DNS servers, docs, picasa, etc., etc., etc. Stay off of all social networking sites.

As for alternatives:

• Bing still mostly sucks, but it's getting better. Ixquick is not bad.
• For free webmail that supports HTTPS, both Lavabit and Hushmail are OK.
• OpenDNS provides free nameservers.
• I know of no good, free alternative to docs.
• There are lots of (variously crappy) free photo hosting services.

[mikewhatever]

Cookies can be disabled in all browsers. Just disable all cookies and then allow only the sites you need, like email, ubuntuforums, etc.

[rookcifer]

Use Scroogle for search. It is Google without any tracking whatsoever.

[gpumalwareqs132]

-snip- nevermind.

[cariboo]

The hosts file is not the place to block ads, that may work for Windows, but can cause all sorts of problems in Linux. Privoxy is a much better solution.

[zerubbabel]

If you're sufficiently concerned, the answer is to not use their services, period (IMO).

Don't use Google's search, gmail, DNS servers, docs, picasa, etc., etc., etc. Stay off of all social networking sites.

As for alternatives:

• Bing still mostly sucks, but it's getting better. Ixquick is not bad.
• For free webmail that supports HTTPS, both Lavabit and Hushmail are OK.
• OpenDNS provides free nameservers.
• I know of no good, free alternative to docs.
• There are lots of (variously crappy) free photo hosting services.

Does Google scan the photographs that you organize in Picasa even if you do not use their web album feature? In other words, just using Picasa to organize your photos on your own disk?