A Jovial Google Debate

[andyf]

Let's proceed with a small quote from Boingboing:

Posted by Boingboing.net
Inquisitive geek Adam Fields asked,

1) "Given a list of search terms, can Google produce a list of people who searched for that term, identified by IP address and/or Google cookie value?"

2) "Given an IP address or Google cookie value, can Google produce a list of the terms searched by the user of that IP address or cookie value?"

The Search author and Boing Boing "band manager" John Battelle relayed that question to a spokesperson at Google.

John says,

To [Google's] credit, it rapidly replied that the answer in both cases is 'yes.'

Ok so we have confirmation from Google that they can tell what someone has searched for.

The question I put to the esteemed members of this forum is: Do you mind?

My view is this: I have no problem with Google caching everything I do through their services, on the basis that they uphold their promise to never share this information without a justified, legal reason to do so

[Shazz]

as long as it's used for the right purposes, then it seems fine to me

[Cheez]

Couldn't care less.

[Optimus]

It's useful if idiots try and use Google to find pictures of small kids or something, but otherwise its pretty harmless...

Every internet server in the world knows you've been there, it just doesn't know exactly who you are...

[Afty]

Do I mind? Not at all.

In order to make this information useful you need further knowledge of who was browsing using the computer or computers with given IP address *X* - which means pursuing the ISP of the individual(s) in question too.

If you don't trust someone, don't give them information that you wish to remain private - including what you search for.

[Afty]

Originally posted by Optimus
It's useful if idiots try and use Google to find pictures of small kids or something I fail to see why this is useful in this situation.

So people searched for pictures of small children. Grandparents can't remember the special website their son setup for the holiday snaps?
Some creative at an ad agency wants some free images to mock up an advertising campaign involving kids on the beach?
Some child at school uses the teachers computers to get some images of kids playing for a montage...?

Not sure how it's useful...

[Lucifa]

You use google, it saves the information you send to it.
It's not gaining any information you aren't telling it so it's your choice whether to use the service or not.

/me waits for Zenith to see the thread...

[bvark]

Someone who operates a public database can run reports on what queries went into the database?

OH NOES! How did they manage that wtf hax etc

[Elbonio]

But what if they decided to co-operate even further with the Chinese Government and gave details of who searched for "democractic movements in china" ?



Though as far as I'm concerned I'm not bothered what they do with the information they hold about me, as its pretty useless data anyway.

[KingDaveRa]

http://home.no.net/holodoc/ordinary1.jpg

[Ch3m1c4L]

lol @ pic

[Cheez]

The Afty one would be more suitable, but it seems that not even Afty cares about Google. :)

[Zenith]

Originally posted by Lucifa
You use google, it saves the information you send to it.
It's not gaining any information you aren't telling it so it's your choice whether to use the service or not.

/me waits for Zenith to see the thread... Just zero the ID field of your Google cookie.
It's not rocket science. :)

[TE-Hellfire]

Originally posted by afty
I fail to see why this is useful in this situation.

So people searched for pictures of small children.

What if they're....you know....nudge nudge....wink wink......oh I'll say it -


NAKED

Yeah, baby, yeah!

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love: