Google updates Desktop
p2pnet.net News:- Google has given its Desktop software, which depends on being able to get into your hard drives, a new look. Or as Britain’s Financial Times puts it, “Google will today launch an upgrade to ‘Desktop’, its free software that allows users to launch programs on their PC, in its latest encroachment on Microsoft’s ground.
“The upgrade of the free software, which mirrors many of the functions of Microsoft’s Windows, comes days after Wall Street’s favourite internet stock said it would raise about $4bn – on the eve of the first anniversary of its initial public offering.”
The latest Google offering, “includes several twists,” says the Associated Press. “Beyond providing search results, it monitors the user’s behavior and presents relevant information in a resizable and moveable window called the Sidebar.”
And, “Some features, including personalized news, involve sending details of its users surfing habits back to Google. [Google desktop product manager Nikhil] Bhatla said no personally identifying data is transmitted, and users can opt out.”
Opt out means the software goes into your system unless you specifically stop the process before it starts but, ‘That’s OK,’ you say. ‘Most people who use computers know all about installation software.’
Tell that to the thousands of Kazaa users who are curently being sued by the Big Four record label cartel.
Not to worry, however. “Google, which has come under fire for making private information a bit too easy to find, said it has now disabled the caching of secure Web sites – an option that can be enabled if the user desires,” says AP.
“It also recommends against using the desktop program tool on computers in Internet cafes or in cases where many people share the same operating system account. Google Desktop 2 also offers the ability to encrypt – or scramble – the index to protect it from being read by unauthorized parties.”
Will all that information be in big, bold unmissable capital letters right at the top of ‘install’?
Even if it is, Google’s privacy statement says, “We do not rent or sell your personally identifying information to other companies or individuals, unless we have your consent”. But Google can, “share such information” under various circumstances, for example, if it’s “required by law” to do so, or if it has a “good faith belief that access, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of Google, its users or the public”.
“Protect the public.” Where have we seen that before?
Picture this …
There’s a ‘new’ terrorist alert and the Powers that Be in the US decide its absolutely essential to supplement the National Security Letters already used by the FBI to force ISPs, web mail firms and other communications service providers to reveal detailed information about private Net communications – without having to get a court order to do so.
So they add a clause or two to the Patriot Act, or to your local equivalent. Then suddenly, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Yahoo, Peer Impact and the many and various other companies with, or which want to have, software on your hard drive are, in the national interest and to protect the public, required by law to allow the ‘authorities’ to use that software to tap into computer systems.
As we’re all too well aware, the entertainment and software cartels exert tremendous, and increasing, financial and political pressure on administrations and law enforcement agencies around the world. They’d love to be able to plunder your PC and for them, getting a law changed here and there and bending governments and police organizations to their will is child’s play.
Ahhhh. Paranoia ; )
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See:-
Financial Times – Google freeware mirrors Windows, August 22, 2005
National Security Letters – FBI ’secret subpoenas’, p2pnet,. August 4, 2005
Associated Press – Google updates search software with Desktop 2, August 22, 2005
August 23rd, 2005 at 4:13 pm
Either:
A) Don’t install it. or
B) Experiement and finds out how it ‘phones home’ and choke it off or garble it and send the a pile of nonsense.
August 24th, 2005 at 8:28 am
Why pray tell would I want this? Already it is a fight to keep your computer clean of spyware. Now they want to have you install it on your own? Fat chance! There is a reason I changed to linux. So I would not have to deal with all this trash. They may collect passively while I use their system but be damn if I will allow them to search my computer contents just because they might be interested. I don’t think what I have on my computer is any of their business, be it personal corrospondance, my family vaction photos, or what recipe I might be interested at the moment. I will find what I am interested in and I don’t need tailored ads to go with them. Nor do I need corportate busy-bodies interested what the contents of my computer or hardware that might be on it checking in every time I go on line. I pay for my internet bandwidth which they pirate without asking or making plain that is what they think alright to take without asking.
Just who is the pirate here?