Has Google Gone too Far?

[ChrisChris]

Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not one of those people who just sit there and make conspiracies about companies like Google and Microsoft but I think this is just gone a bit over the top.

If you have a Google account (this includes Google webmaster tools, Gmail and Adsense) visit www.google.com/psearch/trends and not only will it show you what your top 10 searches are, but the top 10 websites that you visit and the top 10 links that you click on. It also shows you your monthly, hourly and daily search trends and compares them to other users. On the page you can see that there should be an option to pause and remove this service but the links are grayed out.

Similarly, check out www.google.com/history for a history of all your searches and the times they were made.

I personally find it disturbing that Google keeps this information about me and that they are probably using it for some reason or another. I for one, don't remember ticking any boxes or filling out any forms telling Google and I don't mind.

Responses like "If you don't like Google don't use them" really aren't necessary or appreciated :imho:

-Chris

 

[Subir]

I have always liked Google, but maybe they are taking things a little too far now... :tri:

 

[Matthew.]

They haven't gone anywhere, this is not knew. The ability to go back through your searches is, but they have, and have always advertised the fact that they record all search queries.

I would be very surprised if other search engines (e.g. msn, aol, yahoo) don't do the same. Personally, i don't mind...people are way over the top about keeping the slightest thing personal...who cares if my search history is amongst millions. Google definately don't go handing it out easily, only a short while ago google faced being fined a large amount for refusing to provide the information about searches made by a variety of users in a court case because it could compromise peoples privacy who were not involved...

Got no problem with it myself, although that history feature is useless imo

Matt

 

[dgridley]

You can "pause" the service and no records are displayed or kept.. I've had mine paused for months now.

 

[Matthew.]

Not disagreeing with the above but i know somewhere, at sometime i have read something about google and them recording searches, that combined with reading the FAQ on pausing the history service makes me think that it just stops displaying in history....I would be prepared to bet they still record it.

This is purely speculation though.

Matt

 

[-NC-]

I just went to the history link, it said that I need to install the google toolbar to track history.... my search history was blank too.... ....so don't install spyware on your machine and you won't get spyed on? or maybe its my tinfoil hat that's protecting me

 

[whitebark]

If they want to see all the stuff I visit - okay - everyone does it to some degree or another. It's how they use it in the end. Google has told the US government to sit on a sharp stick a few times when pressed to give up personally identifiable search data. Good enough for me.

All those using google analytics - do you think they give you that free service because they are generous? No of course not, they compile that data for themselves and others for $.

 

[Barrucadu]

I don't see anything wrong with recording searches, its their company.

 

[Peter]

You can "pause" the service and no records are displayed or kept.. I've had mine paused for months now.

For me that link is greyed out so cannot be clicked (as is the remove items link)

I don't mind the fact that they log this information but I do disagree with linking it with actual accounts.

 

[whitebark]

it's ok to put your tinfoil hat on now:
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2078061,00.html

I'd classify that as going too far.

 

[ChrisChris]

For me that link is greyed out so cannot be clicked (as is the remove items link)

Same here
:music:

 

[hell-knight]

You think Google`s gone too far? Try Yahoo! Messenger, they record all your conversation archives in a server...no privacy allowed...about Yahoo! i know for sure, but i wold not be surprised if MSN messenger does the same.

 

[dgridley]

One thing I hate about Yahoo Messenger is you can block someone, delete them, or log in as invisible and so long as you're still in their Messenger, they can IM you! One reason I hate to add anyone.. got too many annoying people still bugging me!

You think Google`s gone too far? Try Yahoo! Messenger, they record all your conversation archives in a server...no privacy allowed...about Yahoo! i know for sure, but i wold not be surprised if MSN messenger does the same.

 

[Peter]

I know this is quite an old thread but I just stumbled across the google history for some reason and I noticed now that you can now delete your history.

You can either go into a specific section and click Remove items and then select which to remove or you can click on All History and elect to remove all history. Some sections do not give you an option (such as the images section) to remove certain results so the only way to get rid of these is to do the second option of removing all history.

Of course google can still if they wanted too link your searches with your accounts but at least if someone else sees your history page they will not see what you have been searching for (removing all history pauses the service as well, if you wish you can resume it any time).

 

[dhscott]

It only ever records your history if you are signed in.

So sign out!

 

[James]

It only ever records your history if you are signed in.

So sign out!

thats just a pain in the ass though.

 

[Dan]

They probably have it recorded by IP or anything else as well, even if you aren't signed in. If you pause or delete your history, it probably just removes it from what you can see, but it is still stored somewhere.

I believe they are required by law to keep records for at least some amount of time, anyways.

 

[James]

most isp's keep record of what you look at though.
its kinda creepy.

 

[Peter]

It only ever records your history if you are signed in.

So sign out!

It is handy being logged in so that the toolbar can check occasionally if you have any emails. It saves going onto gmail all the time to check.

most isp's keep record of what you look at though.
its kinda creepy.

All ISP's in Europe (well members of the EU) record what site you are going too as they are required too by law for 18-24 months.

 

[dotNAMES]

Big brother is watching you