Can Amazon Unplug Google?

Found on Business 2.0 on Saturday, 17 April 2004
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Amazon recently took the wraps off its initial public beta version of A9, and we got the first sneak peek. It's easy to see why the new engine might set Google and other search-driven companies on edge: A9 is a credible step toward making a search engine that knows you and acts as your agent online.

As to what is new, the most obvious feature is your personal search history -- which is integrated into your entire search experience. So your entire search history is available to you, and with the toolbar, that includes all your searches across any search site, as well as all your browsing on the Web.

The history server stores -- on our servers -- your history of interaction with us for the purpose of bringing that back to you in a very convenient way. Whenever you come to the site, we can show you what you searched for in the past in a very easy-to-organize fashion. If you want to hide some of that, you can opt out at any time. If you install the toolbar, then all your Web browsing, as well as all your searching, is stored as well. And we are working on many different ways to improve that.

Another service I will never use. I don't like the idea of being tracked; I don't like the idea that my whole search data and browsing history will be stored on some servers. Even if it's wrapped in a "it will help you" package. People freaked out about Google for scanning emails, yet nobody seems to care about this. What if they decide to disclose the information just like some airlines did? I prefer privacy, thank you very much.