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Google = Spyware?
Posted: 2003-08-01 01:25pm
by StarshipTitanic
According to my friend, his mom downloaded something called "SpyBot" and the program told her that "Google is spyware." (her own words) My friend and his family are very new to computers and his mom tends to do things without actually knowing or explaining why so she won't tell him exactly what the program said. What is she talking about?
Posted: 2003-08-01 01:26pm
by Companion Cube
Maybe she misread something.
Posted: 2003-08-01 01:28pm
by StarshipTitanic
3rd Impact wrote: Maybe she misread something.
That's what I think, but she'll never listen to her son (who'll be getting the info from me) unless he has a concrete reason.
Posted: 2003-08-01 01:30pm
by Einhander Sn0m4n
Are you sure it was Spybot Search+Destroy?
Posted: 2003-08-01 01:32pm
by StarshipTitanic
Einhander Sn0m4n wrote:Are you sure it was Spybot Search+Destroy?
No, but that's the only program with "SpyBot" in the title I could find (using Google
).
Posted: 2003-08-01 01:34pm
by Einhander Sn0m4n
StarshipTitanic wrote:Einhander Sn0m4n wrote:Are you sure it was Spybot Search+Destroy?
No, but that's the only program with "SpyBot" in the title I could find (using Google
).
Probly is the real mccoy then.
Posted: 2003-08-01 01:47pm
by StarshipTitanic
Ok, now he can use Google because "all known spyware has been blocked."
Posted: 2003-08-02 10:30am
by phongn
Google Toolbar has an optional component that does some tracking (and they quite clearly tell you before download). In exchange, you get a PageRank bar on it.
Posted: 2003-08-02 11:25am
by Nova Andromeda
--Google tracks your searches and your IP info. so it does spy on you. Everything you search for....
Posted: 2003-08-02 11:37am
by phongn
Well, that can easily be negated by removing cookies and thus the GUID assigned.
Posted: 2003-08-04 03:30pm
by Vertigo1
Nova Andromeda wrote:--Google tracks your searches and your IP info. so it does spy on you. Everything you search for....
Thats only done to see if google is actually doing its job by finding what you're looking for. (ie: faster, better, and more reliable searches) Its not like they're taking your searches and selling the results to the highest bidder or something....
Posted: 2003-08-04 05:12pm
by Einhander Sn0m4n
Vertigo1 wrote:Nova Andromeda wrote:--Google tracks your searches and your IP info. so it does spy on you. Everything you search for....
Thats only done to see if google is actually doing its job by finding what you're looking for. (ie: faster, better, and more reliable searches) Its not like they're taking your searches and selling the results to the highest bidder or something....
Exactly, Vert.
AFAIK Google is nothing if not trustworthy. I can't say that about anyone else who sniffs your searches tho. They generally also like to take your URLs visited, hardware and software installed, email addresses (and your friends' email addys too), anything and everything you enter into webforms like passwr0dz...
And then spread it to anyone and everyone who gives the bastards a dollar!