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Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

donttrack.us

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Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#61

Post by Mithrandir »

danielhfrank wrote: post #43

Could anyone comment on how much of this stuff could be sidestepped by just using an incognito window in Chrome? I don't mind ads targeted to, say, me as a Java developer. But, if I'm going to look up anything I'd rather others not know about, I simply pop open an incognito window and... am I good to go? Is there anything besides my IP address that can be read when I'm doing that?

Incognito mode only blocks local storage of data. It doesn't block IP address, downloads, referrers, or user agents. There's also some concern on if it actually works at all. (See http://ask-leo.com/do_new_browser_features_offering_privacy_... )

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#62

Post by motters »

I've been using DDG for a while, and have been very happy with it. IMHO they should focus on this privacy aspect, trying to be the most privacy respecting search engine, because it's a key product differentiator and it's also an issue which is only likely to grow in importance.

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#63

Post by rickr »

zackola wrote: post #25

I've been using Duck Duck Go as my primary search for the last month - it's pretty great! And if you need to fallback to google because you want a map or something else there are a bunch of ! shortcuts to go right there. (!map is most frequently used by me)

FYI:

!gm is a bit shorter and also goes to Google maps.

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#64

Post by rick_2047 »

I seriously do not get this privacy sham. All of a sudden everybody and there uncle is very concious about some algorithms (that select the ad for you) knowing what they searched for. I mean even if I search for something inappropriate and then google ads algorithm knows what I searched for, big deal yaar whats the harm?

I presume referrer headers existed even before google and this privacy outrage. The thing I do not understand is, why this sudden conciousness about some database of what you searched online?

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#65

Post by axod »

epi0Bauqu wrote: post #60
Matt_Cutts wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, that was the same day we announced SSL search, which prevents referrers to http sites. I don't begrudge you trying to make privacy a selling point for DDG, but donttrack.us felt like trying to paint Google with a pretty broad brush. Honestly, it reminded me of when Privacy International decided to give Google a worse privacy rating than any other company. Here's how I responded to Privacy International at the ti…

I really wasn't trying to paint with a broad brush, but instead concentrate on very specific things that I think the average person doesn't know about. Personally, as you can gather, I don't think SSL search is enough (or browser plugins). The average person doesn't know it exists and so it essentially doesn't "exist" for most people. If you made it the default, or did something like what we did by dropping the refer…

> "The average person doesn't know it exists"

Is there any evidence to suggest the average person really cares about privacy online to such an extent?

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#66

Post by 16s »

motters wrote: post #62

I've been using DDG for a while, and have been very happy with it. IMHO they should focus on this privacy aspect, trying to be the most privacy respecting search engine, because it's a key product differentiator and it's also an issue which is only likely to grow in importance.

How will they make money? I agree with you. I like privacy, but ad supported search seems to be the only viable business model. Advertisers won't pay DDG b/c there's no one to target.

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#67

Post by epi0Bauqu »

axod wrote: post #65
epi0Bauqu wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really wasn't trying to paint with a broad brush, but instead concentrate on very specific things that I think the average person doesn't know about. Personally, as you can gather, I don't think SSL search is enough (or browser plugins). The average person doesn't know it exists and so it essentially doesn't "exist" for most people. If you made it the default, or did something like what we did by dropping the refer…

> "The average person doesn't know it exists" Is there any evidence to suggest the average person really cares about privacy online to such an extent?

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/12/21/web-surfers-troubled-...

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#69

Post by epi0Bauqu »

rickr wrote: post #63
zackola wrote: post #25

I've been using Duck Duck Go as my primary search for the last month - it's pretty great! And if you need to fallback to google because you want a map or something else there are a bunch of ! shortcuts to go right there. (!map is most frequently used by me)

FYI: !gm is a bit shorter and also goes to Google maps.

!m is even shorter.

Re: Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide

#70

Post by brudgers »

Matt_Cutts wrote: post #35

The first sentence when I stripped out the pictures was "When you search Google, and click on a link, your search term is sent to that site, along with your browser & computer info, which can often uniquely identify you." Referrers are a part of the way the web has worked since before Google existed. They're a browser-level feature more than something related to specific websites. But if referrers bother you, just us…

If SSL was the default and sending headers was opt-in, it would probably add some weight to your argument. What Google actively promotes to the typical web user, however, is not SSL or anonymous search but rather features that collect user data to an ever greater degree, e.g. Toolbar, Instant Search, and the Chrome browser.
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