Ditched Google

[Airbozo]

Now using DuckDuckGo.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/...oogle-privacy/

[mDust]

Meh. I'm not a face or a name to Google. I'm a MAC or IP address to them...anonymity secure... Plus, why get upset about Google telling a retailer that your search for "athlete's foot" sent you to them? The retailer probably had some idea of your condition as soon as you bought the athlete's foot cream...

[Airbozo]

Meh. I'm not a face or a name to Google. I'm a MAC or IP address to them...anonymity secure... Plus, why get upset about Google telling a retailer that your search for "athlete's foot" sent you to them? The retailer probably had some idea of your condition as soon as you bought the athlete's foot cream...

Not really upset about that kind of stuff. I just like the idea of people not selling my search info. No ones business but mine.

[Lothair]

I actually like that my web browsing experience is personalized. It's more of a service than a disservice. Theyre also pretty good with what they do with and handle that information.

Now Facebooks privacy agreements, that's an issue I could get behind.

[msmrx57]

Not really upset about that kind of stuff. I just like the idea of people not selling my search info. No ones business but mine.

This. More importantly google isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread no matter how many times they claim to be.

[x88x]

I'm all for privacy, but honestly, if that's your only reason for dropping Google... *shrugs* If you don't want them to send referral data, use the https interface. If you don't want to ever have any referral data sent any time you do anything on the internet...well, you're out of luck. Like one of Google's reps pointed out in that article, pretty much every website sends referral data when you click on a link. Heck, I would be willing to bet that the news sites that picked this up all send referral data with their links as well. I bet links here send referral data too. It's not this big, bad thing, all it does is say what page you were on that linked you to the page you are on now. It's how online advertising works. The only reason anyone's upset about this specific instance of it is because (just like every other search engine in the world) your query is part of the url. Besides, like mDust mentioned...is it really that big a deal if a website knows what search term brought you to their page? The whole point of a web search is to find pages relevant to your search terms..it's not like you're going to search for (using the example on Soghoian's blog), "HIV testing", then click on a link for..idk, some website that you would care if they knew you were researching HIV testing. Oh no, I searched for 'computer case modding' and clicked on a link for TBCS...who then learned that I searched for 'computer case modding'... IDK, do what you like, I just think the whole thing is a bit silly.

[mDust]

This. More importantly google isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread no matter how many times they claim to be.

When was the last time you heard someone say "I don't know, let's 'AskJeeves it." or "Let's 'yahoo' that." Google, Inc didn't make 'google' a verb, the users did because it revolutionized internet search. I remember how terrible searching the web for relevant information was 15 years ago... If you've forgotten, you could always search for such topics on lycos or altavista.

If I had to choose between google.com or sliced bread, I'd choose google every time...and I'm hungry for sandwiches while typing this!

[Airbozo]

I'm all for privacy, but honestly, if that's your only reason for dropping Google... *shrugs* ...

TBH, it is not necessarily about privacy (although I know they are not really tracking me). Lately the google results have been less and less useful due to the way web sites try and get elevated in the search engine. Having to wade through 30000 results where the first 2 pages have nothing to do with what I searched for is the most irritating issue.

[Diamon]

Set up a script that routes your internet through a different proxy or tunnel every time you start the computer.

Alternatively you just pay for a VPN tunnelling service.

Privacy issue solved?

[Lothair]

Does anyone else not like the instant results feature or how it just gives you an endless page of images?

Just curious to see if it's just me or not. They're such gimmicky and unhelpful features, IMO.