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jframe2 · 02-29-2012, 05:06 AM

Just a reminder that as of 12:01 am, 3/1/2012, if you have any type of Google account, you have entered into a new world of shared information.

KCQuestor · 02-29-2012, 08:30 AM

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...rivacy-policy/

Missy Mariposa · 02-29-2012, 08:37 AM

Have you written a tutorial or anything on this? I figure we'll need a reference thread at some point for "how to hide from google"

Wizard of Ahhhhs · 02-29-2012, 11:51 AM

Two places I avoid as much as possible.... Google and WalMart...

love2fishfork · 02-29-2012, 04:43 PM

Don't know if it's true or not, but I've been told to log into my google account (before midnight), then navigate to www.google.com/history. Once there delete your browsing history. Guess it can't hurt!

big country · 02-29-2012, 04:53 PM

Once your harddrive on your computer is destroyed is there any record of google searches?

Georgeherman29 · 02-29-2012, 05:44 PM

Yes any search you do from any computer you have logged into your google account on will be tracked and stored in the google cloud.

You can still erase your history. Here is the correct link. Perhaps time to switch away from the mothership, except I love my google voice.

https://www.google.com/settings/

Quote:

Originally Posted by big country

Once your harddrive on your computer is destroyed is there any record of google searches?

jframe2 · 02-29-2012, 06:53 PM

If you mean the hard drive is destroyed by beating the crap out of it with a sledge hammer, then I doubt any info will be retrievable.

If you mean "deleting" information from your hard-drive without using specific file wiping software, then yes there are fragments and bits of information left on your drive.

The lesson here is to beat the crap out of your hard drive before donating the computer.

I have recycled computers for years, but I always pull/disassemble the hard drive and remove all the platters separately then leave them laying inside the re-assembled case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by big country

Once your harddrive on your computer is destroyed is there any record of google searches?

jframe2 · 02-29-2012, 06:57 PM

Missy, are a lovely lady for sure. Why not bring the Dirty South tour a bit north of TX into KC?

And the only way to "hide from Google" is to not use it. But for clarity, as long as you do not log into a Google product with an account, you are not being tracked. So simply using Google for search should not leave any history.

My search engine of choice is dogpile. it is an aggregator, in that it goes out and searches other search engines for information.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Missy Mariposa

Have you written a tutorial or anything on this? I figure we'll need a reference thread at some point for "how to hide from google"

KCQuestor · 02-29-2012, 09:54 PM

All of this stuff was already being kept by Google. If you want to know what Google knows about you, check out the Google Dashboard.

The only new thing is that Google will know that "jimbob69" in Google Maps is the same person as "jimbob69" in GMail. The amount of information being stored is the same.

If the new changes REALLY bother you, simply make different Google accounts for each service. It's a pain in the ass, but Google has some features to make it easier to switch accounts. The biggest security concern for most people is Google Maps. So if you are worried about you place searches being stored, log out of Google when you go to Maps.

Hey123 · 03-01-2012, 09:00 AM

So for a non-techie, simply using Google search, in your browser's toolbar, does not accumulate and store this info?
I notice Google Chrome has a history section in its tools menu, which requires manually deleting, so it appears it saves history without the option to have history deleted upon closing?
So it seems that without any signing on, there is history accumulation? What am I missing?

KCSmutMonkey · 03-01-2012, 10:43 AM

Most browsers save your browsing history unless you are running them in a specific mode that prevents this. Chrome calls it 'Incognito' mode, and IE calls it 'InPrivate' browsing. These modes prevent stuff from being saved in the local (on your computer) browse history. This is not affected by what Google is doing and not really the point of this thread. What Google is starting to do is basically save all or your searches (which they have always done but anonymously) and tie them to your specific Google log in. So if you use Gmail, Google will now keep a history of searches performed by you tied to your user account. As an example, Google would previously know that 8 million people searched for 'Blueberry Pie' (but anonymously). Now, they will know and track that JoeBlow@gmail.com searched for 'Blueberry Pie on my escorts breasts.' Since they are now storing and tracking individual users' search histories, these records can be subpoena'd with a court order and used against you. Now, I will admit, it's fairly unlikely that LE would go to the trouble of doing this. It's really more of a privacy issue. Google, not just your web browser, is tracking all of your searches and can tie them back directly to you based on your Google login.

KCQuestor · 03-01-2012, 11:36 AM

KCSmutMonkey,

Google always knew that about you (assuming you were logged in to your Google account when you did the search). The new thing -- that everyone is freaking out about -- is that Google will know that JoeBlow@gmail.com also used Google Maps to look for nearby bakeries 10 minutes later. And that JoeBloe@gmail.com also used GMail to send a message to pieonmychest@hotmail.com. And that JoeBlow@gmail.com uploaded a bunch of pictures to a Picasa folder called "Blueberry Beauty".

Again, in the past Google knew all of this stuff about you if you logged in to your account to do it. The difference now is that Google will know that JoeBlow@gmail.com is all the same account.

jframe2 · 03-01-2012, 05:40 PM

that in the email between JoeBloe@Gmail.com and pieonmychest@hotmail.com, JoeBloe included in the text of his email to Pie that he wanted pie to smear blueberries on his little Joe and that he was looking forward to doing it at the XYZ Upscale Hotel at AB o'clock.

Now the next time Joebloe logs into his Google account he will get custom ads for "pie, blueberries and for deals at the XYZ Upscale hotel." because the Google bots are trolling his out-bound and in-bound emails.

Google is in the business of selling information. They do not give a rats patoooootttttiiiieeeeeee about privacy. Is everyone getting the picture........

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCQuestor

KCSmutMonkey,

Google always knew that about you (assuming you were logged in to your Google account when you did the search). The new thing -- that everyone is freaking out about -- is that Google will know that JoeBlow@gmail.com also used Google Maps to look for nearby bakeries 10 minutes later. And that JoeBloe@gmail.com also used GMail to send a message to pieonmychest@hotmail.com. And that JoeBlow@gmail.com uploaded a bunch of pictures to a Picasa folder called "Blueberry Beauty".

Again, in the past Google knew all of this stuff about you if you logged in to your account to do it. The difference now is that Google will know that JoeBlow@gmail.com is all the same account.

KCQuestor · 03-01-2012, 08:56 PM

I guess we will have to disagree on the level of concern about this new change. I'm not saying that Google is good, or that they aren't looking at what we do, or that people shouldn't be worried about privacy. My point is that Google has known all that stuff about us for years and years. If you've been OK with Google before now, not much should change for you.