Again, Google in the hot seat - Safari Snooping

There was some good stuff on Steve Gibson's site about how he discovered Real Networks was doing something similar. They sent him a letter as I think he'd upset them quite a bit!

With all the online scams and what not, people are already skittish about giving out information etc. Now to find out that companies we're supposed to "trust" do this? I mean, I'm almost pretty sure the info is used for company gain (why else do it), but what do you think prompts companies to do something like that? Especially the all powerful Google. It makes no sense trying to gain a person's trust, only to exploit them in another way without them knowing about it.

I think it's because Google makes the majority of its revenue by selling advertising, the more it knows about a user's behavoir, the more intelligence it has to better focus campaigns and make more revenue; it wants to display adverts that are relevant to the information that you're looking for. Why they don't just ask users if they'll participate like many toolbars do, I don't know.

If you want more privacy you can always try using a VPN service like TOR or IPredator but some sites don't work well through them (like online banking) as sites can easily detect that you're surfing from behind a proxy and they seem worried that you might be doing something wrong or have something to hide.

I found my accounts blocked when I try to access from Florida (I live in the UK). The bank said it was abnormal behaviour; hmm for them maybe - but perhaps they don't allow their staff to go on holiday!

I can understand why people use proxies now TBH. I'm seriously thinking about another browser for my iPhone though.

They way I see things, its not a bad thing to collect all this data, but they should let you know about it and allow a person to participate willingly (maybe?) Its just giving the web an even worse outlook when you're scared your logins/email addresses are going to be leaked/sold all over the net, or you're going to be stalked with adverts because of where you visit online with a few overzealous moneymakers sitting behind it all.

I know sites like youtube are funded by ad revenue, but it is irritating having to watch 30 seconds of an ad before your Katy Perry video.

lol won't comment on Katy Perry , but it is annoying yes, waiting for the little pop up to say you can skip this ad in 5,4,3,2,1 ....

A lot of companies have gotten into trouble, and Google has had their fare share, from what I read online. I still find it hard to believe that Google would do this though, but I guess I can understand from a business point of view. They should just have handled it better perhaps.

i think all large companies have conducted themselves in some immoral way at some point in the past. UK banks with their selling of payment protection insurance and Microsoft has never been too clean with what they've done to Digital Research, Novell and BEOS to name but a few. I guess it's up to the governments to put the appropiate legislation in place to stop it happening in the first place.

I suppose a lot depends on the penalties they might face if they break it, personally I'd get their CEO's, put headphones on them and play Katy Perry's greatest hits on repeat for two days.

lol I second that motion, or Justin Bieber even

Blimey that's a site I haven't been to in years! Used to always use his shields up service, and was always a good source of security advice, this bloke really knows his stuff.

Just had the urge to revisit, and the shields up page still looks the same as it always did

Lots of green squares, "Your system has achieved a perfect "TruStealth" rating"

Gives you a nice warm cosy feeling