A scanner, darkly: Master data-miner Google tweaks terms of service Google is providing an explicit explanation of how it automatically and routinely runs software to snoop on messages flooding in and out of a user's Gmail account – so as to better target them with ads. The company made it clear that anyone with a Google account using any number of its services – such as search or YouTube – …
I don't suppose everyone does know, and I don't suppose Googgle will tell us everything they do - but all that is irrelevant.
I want a search engine that works in a repeatable way. I can tolerate the ads, I can't tolerate the reality distortion in searches. They forced their way to a monopoly position in search engines and now they have started to change their search engine into a force feeding engine.
You can use duckduckgo which states it doesn't personalise results. Hoewever I find I get better results using Google as the personalisation knows that when I search for a Window repairer I would prefer one in my local area and when I search for Servers I'm more likely to be after technical information than sales. If I was doing a critical analysis paper I might not want any personalisation, but I don't really do them any more. As long as the results are skewed by the sites themselves, then I am okay with it.
Generally the search engine that gives me the most relevant result as high up as possible is the one I use, today it is Google, tomorrow it maybe SuperSearch - I try different ones from time to time.
Sure, Google is basically a good search engine, I use it via StartPage. My problem is that the Google personalised ads are mostly way off the mark; either their algorithms completely miscontrue my searches or they are too late - I found a local supplier of surveyor's tripods (for my astronomy telescope) thanks to Google, but the subsequent barrage of ads for tripods, theodolites, laser reflectors and hard hats was a complete waste of time for Google and their advertisers. Still, I can tolerate the ads, but similar tomfoolery with search results is not what I'm looking for.
That is a one sided view. Let's say you have an email exchange between you with a gmail account and someone else that does not. In the view you describe, you freely gave up your right to privacy and to be targeted by low life but you deprived the other party of any say.
I only use my Gmail accounts as spam traps... There are adverts on the Internet?
There was a time when one could register a domain name and simply use that for basic email. Nowadays I am not aware of a hosting provider that doesn't use Microsoft or Google services for email. Those who can will run their own mail servers, those that can't will make money for Google/Microsoft.
Hey it's "free" email where's the problem? Its a wonderful service for consumers all those adverts for the best, most trustworthy and value for money companies touting sought after and wanted products. Simply awesome! It's not like a human will ever read the content of your private emails, will they?
Where does the sincerity end and the sarcasm begin? answers on an email to one of my gmail accounts.
Nowadays I am not aware of a hosting provider that doesn't use Microsoft or Google services for email.
I have been a satisfied customer of primexeon.com for several years now. No, they haven't paid me to say that.
They use cpanel and various standard LAMP tools under that. Frankly the cpanel interface is a pile of ****, but the freedom it gives me is far preferable to the home-grown ones that other web companies provide. In particular, I can write my own code for my webpages and email as I wish.
Yes - don't do it.
Happily as a long time, very happy user of ABP I consider their own website to be a trusted source, and if I visit it on an Android device I get a big button that lets me install it from there.
I've migrated my default search engine on all platforms to one that does not track their users. My GMail is a shell account used for nothing relevant (i.e. a spam trap for companies who ask me for my email (if I give it to them)), and I don't use Google Hangouts. Is placing people in an information bubble quasi-equivalent to a feedback loop? i.e. You see what you're interested in and only what is relevant.
So, I spent last night investigating the female form in all its glory and today trying to explain away the explicit pornography framing my innocuous searches.
Well, not really, I have NoScript running and Google is on the naughty list along with all the other "services" that seek to understand my needs to better serve me.
Don't get me wrong, I don't ban adverts, as I appreciate the symbiotic relationship they have in allowing me "free" access to many services such as The Reg. I just don't like having last nights meal regurgitated, served up as an appetiser and announced to the world that I eat dog meat with semen sauce when I actually ordered a lamb kebab with garlic mayonnaise.
How exactly snooping on my mail and searches helps Google to filter out spam and malware? Do they scan my mail in the hope that I might share a desire for a bigger penis (or breasts?) with my mates and if I do they will modify my personalized spam filters to be more permissive? And since they continue filtering all the offers of cheap Viagra I can conclude that my partner remains discreet? At least on her GMail account?
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
