I've always enjoyed the google interface, but have no issue deleting all of my google accounts, getting rid of my android phone, and boycotting google all together. I'll keep a close eye on this one but it looks like i'm going to be making some changes in the next month.

Forbidden so sorry... Google is temporarily blocking this Scroogle server. Please wait ten minutes before trying again. Yes, Scroogle is upset with Google.

Yeah, scroogle works fine, realy.

Google offers free services in exchange for knowing everything about you. And when someone knows everything about you, they steer you in any which way they want.

No wonder they are so gosh-danged wealthy. They know exactly what ads to show me so that I'd have a higher chance of possibly spending money. Then they can go to these companies and say "LOOK! OUR ADS WORK!" which pretty much lets them charge whatever they want for advertising space.

Google knows what videos I watch, because I visit the most popular video-sharing website on the net, which they own. They had Google videos, but Youtube was just so amazing they had to make it theirs.

They know what I search for on the internet, because I visit the most popular search engine on the internet. It's so popular that the name of the company has become a verb for "search the internet". They know what I write in my emails and what companies I receive email from, because I use one of the best email services in existence. A service which they own.

Social networking took the work out of companies trying to find ways to make you part with your money. Now you tell everyone where you shop, what you like, who you listen to, and photograph where you spend your time. Facebook turned their "like" feature into a full on metric for people and companies to know how better to profit from you. So Google went and created Google+, which let's you "+" things.

I have a virtual phone number with Google. Now people can call me on my computer and voicemails can be transcribed to text which is saved for me to peruse later! Google know's who I call and who calls me.

I have a smartphone that let's me do every single one of these things I've already mentioned, on the go! I had to create or link a google account to that phone just to be able to use it as intended ( by them ). More info for them to stick into the virtual puzzle pieces that is your marketable information.

There are a number of sites I can not sign into unless I use my Google account, Facebook Account, Twitter Account, or something else. All of these things profile me, taking every moment of my life and influencing what and where and who I interact with. There's a file on me with everything I've ever done, even if I don't post pics of me drinking at a bar, invite someone to play Bejeweled Blitz with me, or have some random website ask me to tell them when and where I was born, provide photographic proof, link to my family members, post pictures of them while I'm at it, and inform the masses I'm a fan of Depeche Mode.

They already know. They've known from the second I created a Google account. Facebook knew a hell of a lot about me the second anyone I've ever known in my life joined that site. There is nothing they do not know about you.

These changes in privacy settings exist for one sole purpose: now they don't have to spend the time and money to connect the dots.

You do it for them.

Danj3ris +1'd Mutton! a few seconds ago

Originally posted by 00nunya00
ETA: don't you think ATS is paying attention to what you click on, what pages you came from/leave to, etc, so they can serve you better ads?

Hehe, well, they do a crummy job showing me what I might be interested in except for when they disappear.

Originally posted by Sorgmodig

Forbidden so sorry... Google is temporarily blocking this Scroogle server. Please wait ten minutes before trying again. Yes, Scroogle is upset with Google.

Yeah, scroogle works fine, realy.

happens about once a month when google updates algorithm.

it is to be expected of any decent proxy service, in whoms target actively opposes them.

I do use peerblock and have added all of the links as opposed to the main ones you can check.

I also use seamonkey (works smoother on my older machines) with noscript.

I do need ot change my search provider though, I used to use google exclusively. I wonder if northern light still exists

It might come as a shock to those whp want to opt out of google:

So many Websites are using google analytics (traffic statistics), google Adsense (for Advertising) and google search for their own website. You will not even know, unless you check their source code.
Or sometimes, while loading you see it in your status bar.

So, if you really want to opt out of all google services - good luck with that.

Sometimes the content related ad's are quite funny, for instance when you are on ATS in the big Fukushima thread, and get ads about Sushi places near you. Or when you are in a "doom and gloom" thread about how the US turns into a martial law state, while displaying ads on winning a green card :-)

But im drifting a bit off topic. Have you ever gone to the ATS search site and checked the source code ?

(Well, I cant put the source code here (which is clear from a technical point) just check where it says "--Analytics--" )

Think about it...

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Thankfully there are alternatives.

I'm involved in the launch at the end of this month, of a new free browser add-on that will include a private (spam-free opt-in) emailing system, unlimited video uploading & sharing, internal chat system and an amazing home page portal, that arranges all the best of the net info in one place (configurable to suit). Three years and millions of dollars in the making.

The above is just a small sampling of what this system will contain.

Don't expect we'll include file sharing but it's not for me to say.

thank you so much for the advanced heads up. I was pre-warned about Google a few months ago as they began to track online activities. At that time I stopped using G-search but kept my gmail account. Soon that will be closed as well thanks to your post here...........
I have a secure web site now with my own account and domain, and am taking steps to wind down Google use.
Indeed I am now using only secure search servers, and from a previous thread a few months ago, I closed my Facebook account which really had nothing in it anyway. Never the less.
One step at a time TPTB are slowly closing in on privacy.
This Google thing is an obvious insult to people. Coming right out and telling us just as Yahoo did a while back.
"We are following you in order to target you" Target they do. It will get worse.
I do have a separate new email account now called Hush Mail. If both the sender and receiver have accounts with hush mail both ends are encrypted to 128 bits. In other words no one can intercept unless they are very...very good at what they do. You can also encrypt and send from either end to any mail if the other end knows the encryption key. and it is free..There are other servers that do this, but this is just the one I choose.
I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt this is the year we will face some serious issues in the world so safety is paramount.
Thanks for this thread s&F
DH

Oh great! See ya later Google. You just lost a loyal user. Have fun spying on idiots!

Thanks for posting. From now on I will not be using Google; despite having used it for years as my only source engine. I can see exactly where this is going & it will probably not end well. I'm going to switch over to ixquick, which is supposed to be one of the more privacy oriented search engines.

I however, will not be giving up Youtube yet. That and ATS are my main sites, but if it ever gets really bad I suppose I'll have to.