Google Desktop privacy branded 'unacceptable'

Found on The Register on Sunday, 17 October 2004
Browse Software

Google's Desktop represents a privacy disaster just waiting to happen, a rival has warned. David Burns, Copernic CEO, says users should know that the giant ad broker intends to mix public and private queries in the future, leveraging its key moneyspinning product: contextual advertising.

"If you lined people and said, 'Stick your hand up if you want Google to know what pictures you have, and what MP3 files you have,' I don't think many would." Burns had offered these capabilities to partners before, but received some pushback.

Google Desktop Search allows users to opt out of sending the company back detailed usage data, but it isn't possible to firewall it completely.

In January, Eric Schmidt said the company's goal was to create a "Google that knows you". With the addition of personal information, it's just taken a giant step towards that goal.

I want to be able to firewall software completely and expect it to work (unless the net access is really relevant). Do I need the internet to search on my local machine? No. I don't want a "Google that knows me". I prefer the anonymity I can get, thank you very much. They should care about their main product, the websearch, instead of flooding the net with useless products that try to be better than the other thousands out there.