[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Gmail Gets Autocomplete Search Functions here

[number6]

If Gmail's suggest works anything like Google Suggest then it's creepy. Two percent of typings get sent to Google.
http://googlewatch.e.../privacy/googletoanonymizesuggestuserdataafteroneday.html


Dear Gmail user: Due to privacy considerations, we cannot respond unless you resend your email from a different account. For more information, please visit www.gmail-is-too-creepy.com

[SnyperTodd]

LOL @ conspiracy theorists and their mindless spam every time the word "Google" is mentioned...

[number6]

Google says it plain and simple.

[SnyperTodd]

Quote taken straight off of googlewatch: "Google's policies are essentially no different than the policies
of Microsoft, Yahoo, Alexa and Amazon."

Googlewatch says it plain and simple.

Get real.

[number6]

I know. Microsoft's spying on people doesn't make it right for Google to do it. That would be ridiculous.

[SnyperTodd]

That's right dude, everybody is spying on you. Here's a novel idea- if you don't trust them, DON'T USE THEM!



Anyway, this looks like it could be a useful feature, but doesn't really affect those of us who access our gmail via IMAP or POP and Windows Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.

[number6]

That's right, I don't use them when I can avoid it. Sometimes, though, it's very difficult because so many things are opt-out instead of opt-in.
My point here is that Google suggest for email is creepy.

[SnyperTodd]

I didn't have to opt-out of Gmail, or using Google as a search engine, or Windows, or Office- I opted IN to all of those things, just like you and everyone else has done. Also, the only personal information they have about me is what I've given them. They aren't doing background checks and hiring private investigators to find out every detail of the lives of everyone who uses them. All they know is what you tell them. Give me a break, man. There's nothing creepy about suggesting entries out of your address book or previous email subjects that you may be searching for. It's not like there's a guy reading everything you do and personally suggesting things for you. It's an automated process performed without any realtime human intervention. Lay off the Kool-Aid.

[number6]

I doubt if you opted in for tracking by DoubleClick.

SnyperTodd said:

They aren't doing background checks and hiring private investigators to find out every detail of the lives of everyone who uses them. All they know is what you tell them. Give me a break, man. There's nothing creepy about suggesting entries out of your address book or previous email subjects that you may be searching for. It's not like there's a guy reading everything you do and personally suggesting things for you. It's an automated process performed without any realtime human intervention.

I suppose you haven't heard about how freely Google hands over their data when governments ask for. Yahoo! does it, too.

[SnyperTodd]

When I decided to use the internet, I opted in. So did you. And I don't know about you, but Google has nothing on me that the government will care for, and like I said before, the only thing Google has to hand over to them is what I've told them, and where I've been on the internet. I really couldn't care less who knows that... What a self-important, arrogant person you must be to think that ANYONE at Google or in the government is actually interested in anything you've done online as an individual... unless you're plotting against the United States...

[number6]

You'll be singing a different tune when the FBI bangs down your door for something they consider illegal that didn't know was.

SnyperTodd said:

When I decided to use the internet, I opted in. So did you.

That's the equivalent of saying that your having a computer is a way of opting in for my keylogging "service."

SnyperTodd said:

And I don't know about you, but Google has nothing on me that the government will care for, and like I said before, the only thing Google has to hand over to them is what I've told them, and where I've been on the internet. I really couldn't care less who knows that...

I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but since you've said that you really don't care who knows where you've been, and this is a serious request, would you mind posting your history before you clear it next?

[SnyperTodd]

Sadly, you're not even based in reality. Come on, think a little bit! I know what is legal, and I know what is illegal, and I suspect you do too. Having a computer itself isn't a way of opting in to anything, especially not your key logging "service." But, using the internet, there are certain compromises you have to make. You can block cookies, but you have to deal with the reduced functionality of certain sites. If you, like me, took a realistic look at the actual security situation instead of getting all your information from a kook fringe website, you would see the threats you fear so much are basically benign. There are other sites, much more reputable sites, than googlewatch. My main point is that you need to think for yourself, don't just spew rhetoric gleaned from one guy's dangerously psychopathic hatred of Google.


As far as posting my history, I couldn't find a way to export it from Firefox, or I would. Seriously, it wouldn't bother me in the least. I'm a conservative Christian guy, married, with two kids and nothing to hide. You'll see that I've watched a few videos on Hulu, and a couple episodes of Trick My Truck on CMT, downloaded a few wallpapers from digitalblasphemy and Interfacelift, looked up directions to the hospital where my grandmother had surgery for cancer on Thursday, and spent a little time on this forum as well as extremeoverclocking.com. That's about it. Oh yeah, I looked at a few T-shirts on allamericantrucker.com also.


Anyway, I've got better things to do today than argue about Google all day, but really it has been a lot of fun. I'm sure I'm not going to change your mind, and I'm not going to be suckered into buying the anti-Google hype. Believe it or not, I actually read all privacy policies that I come across. That's how I determine what information I will give that site, and few sites get any personal information from me. Honestly, I really don't want to change your mind, your internet practices are not my business. I just hate to see someone limiting themselves because of an irrational, unfounded fear. You can reply if you want, but I'm moving on, so if you want the last word, take it away...

[number6]

Correct. The key logger analogy shows that internet-usage=opt-in is ridiculous. That was what I meant.

You did an admirable job at summarizing your history; and it proves what you said about not caring who sees where you've been on the internet. Thank you.

I can't imagine reading every privacy policy that affects me. That's jolly patient of you.

As for Google-Watch, I'm not spewing anything. I read most of everything he has on that site, and additionally, some of his other sites; and he seems quite reasonable.

Thank you for the discussion. I enjoyed it.