Re: toolbar addon and provider spying

Hello Jim,

I am the developer of the Quero Toolbar and want to comment on the privacy
practices of the Google Toolbar as an "insider".

1 The first and foremost intention of the Google Toolbar was to bind
customers to Google and to collect usage data "to improve the quality of
Toolbar and other Google services", i.e. to log every Web page the user
visits.

2 Even if you do not opt-in to voluntarily send your usage data to Google,
the Google Toolbar can easily become spyware when you use any of the
following (advanced) features: Google Suggest, PageRank, SpellCheck,
AutoLink, WordTranslator, AutoUpdate, ...

3 Quote from the new privacy policy (dated March 28, 2006):
http://www.google.com/support/toolbar/?quick=privacy&v=2.0f&hlrm=en
* Your copy of Google Toolbar includes a unique application number. When you
install Google Toolbar, this number and a message indicating whether the
installation succeeded are sent back to Google. Also, when Google Toolbar
automatically checks to see if a new version is available, the current
version number and the unique application number are sent to Google. The
unique application number is required for Google Toolbar to work and cannot
be disabled.
[...]
* The Google Toolbar contacts our servers periodically to obtain automatic
updates to the latest version, or as part of the uninstall process.

4 In combination with your unique google.com cookie, Google is able to fully
track your surfing behavior. Additionally, your data can easily become
personally identifiable if you are using any of the great Google services
that require a Google(.com) Account.

5 Usage data is precious so it is worthwhile to give the Google Toolbar away
for free. Google even pays 1 US $ to Web publishers for every referred
download of Firefox with the Google Toolbar installed. See also
http://explorerdestroyer.com/
I consider such commercial compaigns funded by Google to be unfair.

I would welcome your comments.

Viktor
http://www.quero.at/
The New Web Experience


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: how to remove "optionitch" toolbar
    ... they put adware in their product. ... I have the Google toolbar ... (Scan for updates, Review and Install) ... Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to about ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser)
  • Re: How to uninstall Google toolbar when Windows failed to boot
    ... > The Google Toolbar will be listed in Add/Remove Programs. ... I wonder how to uninstall the google toolbar. ... >> they install, someone's advice regarding their particular install may not ... their product and their developers' expertise at writing a decent uninstall ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers)
  • Re: IE7 Application Error when closing last IE Tab
    ... "how can I can use the Google toolbar and not get this ... error on closing IE7?" ... Malware already installed on the computer: ... Don't ever do a "default" install of anything. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser)
  • Re: about:blank SPYWARE... help me!!!
    ... with any user interaction (because that user said they didn't install ... else....until this particular problem becomes "well-known" by spyware ... Still in safe mode, I ran Adaware again. ... > Explorer except google toolbar stuff. ...
    (microsoft.public.inetserver.iis.security)
  • Re: Internet Explorer 6 no connection
    ... without my knowing it). ... The last IE install I had was a couple of days ago ... I've also used the Google toolbar for a while. ... >>He has two versions, a freeware one, and a shareware one ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser)
Loading