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[tor-talk] dropping Google as default search was ethically correct
Many other list subscribers & I hounded on dropping Google as default
search engine in Tor Browser. Some didn't get why, were opposed or had
no opinion. Mike Perry announced in the Trac change request that now
StartPage will be the default search engine. Some won't agree w/
dropping Google as default search & that's understandable - UP TO a point.
Whether the following info about Google's "activities" could OR ever did
* affect TBB * & esp. since it has nothing to do w/ the search engines,
per se, ISN'T the point. It's Google's overall, complete disregard for
any kind of privacy & violating its OWN & OTHER companies' privacy
policies, TOS & violating agreements between companies & Google. In
short, they & others like them will stop at nothing. It's not opinion;
it's track record & records of lawsuits they've lost.
That's why Google search engine shouldn't be supported or endorsed by
organizations dedicated to internet privacy & anonymity - because of
Google - the company's - long standing, complete disregard for privacy
of users' & companies they do business with. It's not JUST a matter of
whether Google's (& others') practices - in any manner - can affect TBB.
Some of these links / articles aren't brand new - but if one searches,
more & more new revelations are coming out what Google AND others were &
are still up to. Again, not directly related to search engines. But, if
doing business w/ the Devil in any manner, all bets are off. TBB or any
other browser users can easily add Google search engine plugin or make
it their default, if desired.
http://techdows.com/2012/02/firefox-to-stop-sending-googles-cookie-when-sending-requests-for-safe-browsing-api.html
Stop Sending Google’s Cookie with SafeBrowsing API requests
With phishing and malware protection turned on by default, whenever
Firefox sends requests for SafeBrowsing API a Google cookie will be
set, this cookie is sent with each update request to Google’s server
where privacy complications may arise. This cookie contains track
usage of the browser by particular user like at what time user visited
the site, how long he stayed, his IP address and other details which
Mozilla don’t wants now.
Sid Stamm, Security and privacy guy@ Mozilla is now working
<http://blog.sidstamm.com/2012/02/malware-and-phishing-protection-in.html>
with Google to use that Cookie for quality of service than for
tracking you around the web.
NOTE: TBB default settings are to accept all 1st party cookies, w/ 3rd
party cookies disabled. Some report that disabling 3rd party cookies (in
Firefox) will stop Google from setting its tracking cookies associated
w/ its "Safe Browsing" feature. ** Safe Browsing is ALSO disabled by
default in TBB. However, in the other linked articles, Google & other
companies were circumventing the browsers' rules or settings &
presumably they could / would do the same in FF, if at all possible.
NOTE that vanilla FF enables 1st / 3rd party cookies by default.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204880404577225380456599176.html?KEYWORDS=google+tracking+cookies
Google
<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=GOOG>
Inc. and other advertising companies have been bypassing the privacy
settings of millions of people using Apple
<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=AAPL>
Inc.'s Web browser on their iPhones and computers
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204059804577229681587016516.html?KEYWORDS=google+tracking+cookies
Three congressmen on Friday called on the Federal Trade Commission to
investigate Google
<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=GOOG>
Inc.,
<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=GOOG>after
The Wall Street Journal reported
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204880404577225380456599176.html>
that the Internet giant was bypassing privacy settings of people who
used Apple
<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=AAPL>
Inc.'s Web browser on phones and computers.
https://mashable.com/2012/02/21/google-microsoft-internet-explorer-privacy/
If you have trouble falling asleep, there are many, many other articles
- some very recent - about Google & similar companies using "super
cookies" * & using special (fake) code * in cookies in order to trick
browsers into accepting them, when browsers would otherwise reject them.
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