EFF warns against using Google Desktop - Tech Support Forums

**EvilRick** · February 22nd, 2006, 04:53 PM

http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_02.php#004400

Quote:

Originally Posted by EFF Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston

"If you use the Search Across Computers feature and don't configure Google Desktop very carefully—and most people won't—Google will have copies of your tax returns, love letters, business records, financial and medical files, and whatever other text-based documents the Desktop software can index. The government could then demand these personal files with only a subpoena rather than the search warrant it would need to seize the same things from your home or business, and in many cases you wouldn't even be notified in time to challenge it. Other litigants—your spouse, your business partners or rivals, whoever—could also try to cut out the middleman (you) and subpoena Google for your files."

PC TECH250 · February 28th, 2006, 05:52 PM

That's because most of the IE addon tool bars are already loaded with adwares, spywares,
and even some have browser hijackers built into them. It's no surprise to see the anti-pest
utilties flag "bots" of all types when this is present. The only "pest free" tool bar found in a
long time can be found at: http://infospace.abcnews.com/info.ab...ar/upgrade.htm

If you don't mind the White Pages, Yellow Pages, popup blocker, and scrolling text it has an
effective search engine by combining Google, Yahoo, and others when running a search. The
trojans, data miners, and other garbola you pick up when visiting certain sites then.

doddsy · February 28th, 2006, 05:57 PM

http://www.techimo.com/newsapp/index.pl?photo=15845

buckaro · February 28th, 2006, 06:00 PM

This isn't for any google searches you make is it? Only on the tool bar? If so does that include the firefox search bar?

doddsy · February 28th, 2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckaro

This isn't for any google searches you make is it? Only on the tool bar? If so does that include the firefox search bar?

desktop search

http://desktop.google.com/

PC TECH250 · February 28th, 2006, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckaro

This isn't for any google searches you make is it? Only on the tool bar? If so does that include the firefox search bar?

The Linux tool bars are free of any MS directed "spys" and adwares. FireFox does
avoid the bulk of "Sheep poo" that is geared to exploit I.Explorer's vulnerabilities.
In other words you don't get nailed with the latest trojan or I-Worm.

buckaro · February 28th, 2006, 06:08 PM

good good. So is this basically google which is giving you spyware then? But its all legal because they say so in their legal docs you agree too?

PC TECH250 · February 28th, 2006, 06:28 PM

Apparently that refers to any Google type softwares/utilities that are installed on a system.
The description there outlines a type of builtin spyware that pumps info out. The search with
Google, Yahoo, and MSN generally amount to "just what sites" you end up at where "pests"
are geared to get on your system. When you go to a site and some software tries to go on
automatically then you know some unwanted pests are there.

buckaro · February 28th, 2006, 06:32 PM

Well im not bothered, i just make sure AVG is working fine and run Spybot and Ad-aware(MS anti-spy hasn't caught anything in 3+scans, so i only use it rarely)

PC TECH250 · February 28th, 2006, 06:40 PM

The MS beta will alert on software changes on the system. But it won't catch adwares and a few other trojan downloaders until you run a manual scan. Lavasoft's Adaware SE catches
the minor popup ad, data miners, and an occasional browser hijacker. AVG is definitely good
for having onhand. But some of the removers raved about have turned out to be futile.