Google and other conspiracies, what do YOU know?

General Discussion (off topic) Anything and everyt
#1

You know, for all the time i’ve used Google, + Ccleaner+clearing history in FF, never once did I think that Google kept my search history aside and separate from the typical cleaning you think you’ve acheived. Yes, they do. Not that I care really and it may actually come in handy for those times where you have lost what you were searching for and already cleared history, etc…but in another way, this bothered me. I cleared the history and put it on pause and thought, it’s already backed up onto servers i’m sure. Well, my opinion, when I clear my history, I like it gone regardless.

Any thoughts on this?

Paul

#2

Google needs to clean up their act …
It doesn’t surprise me the least, where was that “backup” located ?

I made a search-plugin for FF that allows me to search with my preferences
without the Google tracking-cookie that expires in 2038 .
Now I get attempts by something called o-o-resolver%MyCurrentIPhere%hash.of.current.ip.here%.google.com to set the cookie .
I find it extremely annoying that Google doesn’t respect that I don’t want their cookie .
There is absolutely NO other purpose of that cookie than to log all search-queries in
a identifiable way ie snooping, and in clear violation of the EU-data protection regulations .

#3

Well, it may be part my fault but still, never really knew this…when you sign up for your customized page on Google, you get the “search history” which I assumed was just that and when I cleared my history etc…that it too was gone. Well I decided to take a peek and noticed it kept my history since MAY of 06. Also, when I went through the standard delete\remove procedures, it remained there when I would re-enter. When I unpause it , Some history comes back, why, I don’t know but I don’t like it either. As I said, part my fault for never checking into it but most search history gets cleared by other means. Also, I noticed Google desktop and Google toolbar seem to be in my programs list without me putting them there. This has happened more times than I can count and know it wasn’t from newly installed software. I don’t know what Google has been up to but they are getting very snoopy and have been over the last year specifically.

Paul

#4

I truly hope that you don’t have a Gmail account Paul! Google keeps backups of ALL e-mails. The most disturbing thing is that they don’t give a time limit for how long they will be kept. A legitimate question is of course why would they be doing this?

Is it a matter of stockpiling this information so it can be used in the future for profiling purposes and then sell that processed data to the business world? Money talks…

Plus, there is always the risk of authorities snooping. e.g. It’s a common fact that Google caved in to the Chinese demands to implement user restrictions last year in order to operate on the Chinese market. That tells me that under Government pressure your so called privacy guarantee is out the window in a sec.

Keep in mind that power corrupts and digital power even more. :THNK

#5

Well as a matter of fact, I do have a Gmail account and didn’t know they were reading the emails and such. I don’t have anything to hide so i’m not concerned, my life is on the lower end of boring to many, lol. All I use it for is legit company key information for setup software etc…My galactic take over emails are on the planet zorb…lol. :smiley: :wink: Although I see the point here and yes, that makes me uneasy. If they were backed up for retreival from users then it would make sense but if not, then why. It’s also funny how you can only set up an account by word of mouth or a user that has it to be more precise. Sorts out the spam as they say but still, it also would give a straight forward of users info as well, no? Hmmmm. This is why I think they probably back up searches on their servers as well even if we delete the history. Well, they will most likely fall asleep looking through mine. ;D But once again, it’s the point.

Yes , power corrupts through digital even more so, no doubt. But the eye will be on music and movies being illegally copied, not privacy intrusion , lol. Not to get off topic , oh well, I started the topic, lol, but it really irritates me, my next door neighbor got 3 months probation and jail time for 3rd offense selling drugs to kids and 750 dollar fine. If you kill a worker on the highway, it’s 10 grand and up to 10 years in prison. Now, if you burn a movie, it’s 250,000 dollars in fines and 7 years in prison!!!
I ask where in the hell are our morals and standards and what standard does this set for children, if you do drugs you get away with little or nothing but if you burn a disk you are done for??? I wish I was running this country, those who deserved punishment like rapists and child molesters would be getting the 250 grand fine and forever in prison, not movie burners.

I am changing my topic to "the conspiracy theory, lolll. " That way anything that seems wrong can be addressed. :wink: If I get going…ohhh boy.

Paul

#6

I have a gmail account and to be honest i am not TOO worried about whether they know my emails or not, although i am sure that my ISP would also backup my emails as it is sort of a service so that if their servers go down or crash that they can retrieve most emails.

Google has been taken to court by the FBI i think to get records of searches and Google did try. (I can’t remember if they succeeded.

#7

Wow Paul, did I get ya goin’, huh? At least you started the thread so you can do whatever you want with it. ;D

My problem with e.g. Gmail is that they don’t own the e-mails and yet claim some right to keep them. They are the mere intermediate for delivering those messages. Would you agree with a plan that allows the post office to keep copies (or call 'em backups if you like) of all the mail addressed to you? I don’t think so! To me it is not about the contents, but the principle of the matter. It’s my mail and there are only two parties involved: the sender and the addressee.

BTW I heard many good things about the planet Zorb, in particular their e-mail laws seem to be so much more advanced than ours. They also love conspiracy theories. Maybe that’s where you picked that up???

In Western society there is undoubtedly an overrating in punishment when it comes to economic crimes. Sad, but true.

#8

To nightcap, rotty…
To sum it up yes, it’s the whole point of why they do things. You know, the FBI hasn’t confiscated all my regular mail or anyone elses that I know of. Sure people can communicate better over the web but what ever happened to JUST CAUSE? now it’s “JUST CAUSE THEY WANTED TO"or jUST CAUSE THEY CAN”. What a crock, it’s because they can now gather all user’s info very easily. It’s all right there for them on a page so they don’t have to get off their rears and do an investigation. The problem is they assume everyone is guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around. I began not trusting Google around a year and a half to 2 years ago. You know, it’s too bad really but then again, I haven’t been all too happy with their searching anymore. I have actually found things on MSN faster now. That is sad. THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN ON ZORB!!!

I think Melih lives not too far from Zorb, but don’t quote me on that. Hey another theory, Melih is an alien. I think I will have a poll to find out if Melih is an alien or not! :smiley:

Paul

#9

{BTW Shifter i fully agree with you}

Google would need to get who i am through court, although emails probably do contain my name.

It is all very worrying, but consider that all of our ISP’s have the same power, not that it is right but it is a fact of life.

Australia is under the influence of America, yes so we have to put up with ■■■■ TV shows(We have got one or two that are good but most are ■■■■ (:TNG)) and laws but that is again, life.

I do not support Google keeping my emails, but my guess is that ISP’s do have to do that as part of a backup strategy??

I do not agree with allot of things America has done recently and i guess that most Americans do not agree too, so in the end it takes all Americans to stand up against laws that will eventually have to be incorporated by Australians (Because our government is weak-willed, which is NOT American’s fault).

{We recently had to take on anti-piracy laws because we might loose our free-trade agreement (Which is not necessarily wrong but it shows the power America has over Australia).

{Removed political rant, not really needed i guess}

:

I realize i am a moderator of the Comodo Forums, so it seems some people seem to take that i represent the Comodo and/or the staff, this is INCORRECT, only Comodo STAFF have an “Administrator” status, i am in fact a volunteer that has opinions that in no way represent Comodo, or my employer(Assuming i am employed) at any time. Please do not let my opinions sway whether you use Comodo products, i am quite skilled and give sound technical advice where needed.

I do appreciate the American People and see them as friends just like anyone else in the world, i hold no “hate” for ANY culture. I hope one day to understand each culture as long as they don’t try to kill or make me “disappear” :o :o :o i am happy to try and understand.

</End Disclaimer>

#10

Hi Rotty. While I agree with you on many issues, we can’ t really discuss hard core politics and name names or make influencing “specific” remarks, etc… otherwise there may be a political war here, lol, :o so we may have to keep that at a lower level . :wink:

That said, I can say how I feel the world is, and that Americans no longer stay together on issues, any of them. We became segregated and there is mainly a generation that is taught to think only about themselves and not care about anyone else. This is unfortunate but true. This generation is based mainly on what they have, not who they are and don’t seem to realize that we can’t live with millions of people and think everything will be for them. The old saying, United we stand, divided we fall. Well things are falling and hard. We get thrown false freedoms here, making younger generations think they are free due to having certain actions (:LOV) with anyone and everyone, on camera and off. They are fooled into thinking freedom is yelling like idiots , acting stupid, what not. They truly think this is freedom while not realizing all the real freedoms are being plucked like goose feathers. Well, whittled down is more like it, but started with seat belt laws, I won’t even go there, and smoking, which our state is trying to ban completely. Freedom of speech , yah right, we say anything to anyone that someone doesn’t want to hear and you are sued or attacked by higher powers. It seems the only offense in America is speaking the truth about anything. People don’t want to hear it, the powers that be shun it, and it scares the crud out of me to think this is what it is boiling down to.
My personal view is this, the only thing people fear worse than death is the truth. When you state something here, people go into Zombie mode and just ignore it. Stick together? I feel quite alone here, I stick to my morals and stand up for what’s right, however you are completely looked down upon for it, well too bad, the only thing I take with me when i’m gone is the kind of person I was , not my bank account. I stick to my morals no matter what suffering it brings. Even where I live , people are into all weird stuff which I won’t say on the forum but then the gossip, step on anyone to get what they want, etc…I won’t ever be that way. I am a talkative <yeah, go figure, lol> person, but for the most part, brutally honest and will remain that way. This whole planet needs to wake up from it’s “Dumb sleep” and realize what’s happening but doubt it will. Money and posessions have replaced morals and love and eventually will only collapse upon itself if not changed soon.

Did I write all that ?? Yikes!!

Paul

#11

OK so i shouldn’t mention names like “Bush” and “John Howard” (:TNG) . I agree with you fully.

I basically was trying to get across in a long complicated way that i support every Country, i just wish that they would stop influencing other Countries (-:.

#12

LOL. No, we can mention them but if I recall , not about who we should vote for etc…or tell others who they should and things like that. It causes forum wars almost immediately. :o We have Star Wars, and Forum Wars…

Well, I was going to list some names but nah, any way, what about the U.F.O theory, …how does anyone feel about THAT? And do you think Melih drives the ships? ???

Paul

#13

Maybe Melih designs the ships!

(:WIN)

#14

LOL, with Comodo protection ! :wink:

#15

To get back to the bit above (sorry), I was p’d off about Google wanting a cookie, so with some bodging (and not really understanding quite what I was doing) I made my own home page.
It gives me Google, with my preferences and without needing a cookie (I use Opera and have cookies off except for a few sites.

If you have a look tou’ll see what it does.

Warning: it’s basically UK (but searches the whole web) and is for the past yera only.

Peter.

http://www.google.co.uk/advanced_search?hl=en&num=20&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=lang_en&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=y&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=off

#16

Hey, that’s very nice! And what do you know, you actually get results you search for! How did you manage that one? I keep getting all kinds of garbage when I search now. >:( It’s not even close to the results I want.

Paul

#17

Thanks :slight_smile:

Um, if I can unforget, turned on cookies, set prefs, put in a simple search term, searched, copied the wibble in to an editor, removed the search-specific bit and tried the result.

The above might not be correct - I didn’t understand what I was doing!

Once I’d got the wibble I turned of cookies and deleted the Google one.

Did the same in Yahoo, but couldn’t get SafeSearch OFF

http://uk.search.yahoo.com/web/advanced?_adv_prop=web&ei=any&vd=y&vst=0&vf=all&vm=i&fl=1&vl=lang_en&n=20&fr=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Peter

#18

Thanks, I think I may be looking for other search engines as Google just doesn’t seem to be what it once was anyway. Any suggestions? I tried Dogpile but don’t care for it. Stepped in one too many of those in my life. :wink:

Paul

To Anderow> BTW: Melih is in fact from the planet Odomoc… where everything is free… :■■■■

#19

Why not scroogle scraper. It uses the google db but without the “nasty” stuff:

#20

For other search engines I looked at

http://www.philb.com/ukengine.htm

although it’s UK it gives some idea of the characteristics of each.
I just went down the columns on the basis of what I wanted and what didn’t matter. Some facilities are essential so can be used as primary criteria.
AltaVista and Dogpile look about best. I did try to get a wibble similar to those for Google and Yahoo, but whatever I tried just took me back to the basic page.

BTW, for a simple search, Google will give far more hits than Yahoo; as for relevance…

Peter.