Google Warns Users About "Unsafe Sites"

Dynamoo writes "The BBC is reporting that Google will start to warn users about unsafe websites, in particular those that host spyware or have privacy implications. The technology to do this has been developed in partnership with StopBadware, and appears to be an alternative to the popular McAfee SiteAdvisor application. Perhaps this will help curtail slimeware ridden sites from peddling their wares. But it will be interesting to see how Google rates some of its own products, including the potentially risky Google Desktop."

Comments

Here's the Link

[ThisIsForReal]

If you don't want to RTFA, you can follow the link to Google's policy here:

www.goatse.ru

This will invite more unjust lawsuits

[etymxris]

If you thought Google had a lot of lawsuits when altering pageranks of linkfarms, wait until limewire et al start suing Google for "defamation".

Google Desktop

[corychristison]

But it will be interesting to see how Google rates some of its own products, including the potentially risky Google Desktop.

I still don't really see how potential problems are real problems unless they have already been exploited and proven.

In my opinion it's like saying I am a risk because I have arms. Potentially I could strangle someone with them. :-P

Re:Google Desktop

[Gryle]

The Department of Homeland Security has noted your concerns. Steps will be taken to ensure proper and supervised use of arms to prevents arms from being used by potential terrorists.

Sincerely,
The Goverment.

Google Dekstop isn't unsafe

[man_ls]

Google Desktop isn't unsafe in any way. Google fully discloses the fact that they'll be rooting around in your hard drive and mixing data from there, with data from their servers, for the purposes of providing a local Google search to you on your own machine.

There's nothing wrong with people who are willing to voluntarily give up some measure of their own privacy in exchange for a service provided on that data -- I use Gmail for all of my e-mail, even to the point of forwarding multiple accounts into my gmail inbox, and don't think twice about the fact that somewhere, Google is reading and storing it.

The problem arises when people aren't informed their privacy is being tampered with...malicious web toolbars and cursor packages, Gator, etc. No anti-spyware application I've seen to date has detected Google Desktop (granted, I've only seen 3 machines that actually used GD) but that says something to me.

Re:Google Dekstop isn't unsafe

[Tweekster]

Google Desktop is a product in and of itself. No one WANTS claria. No one seeks out claria to install. People actively go get Google Desktop because they want Google Desktop for the features it provides. Find me one person that said "damn computer, I need that claria product to make it useful"

It piggy backs on other thigs that are useful..that is a significant difference

About Time

[Nom du Keyboard]

It's about time. I've been saying this to them, and about them, for a very long time. I can't think of a better value-added service that any search engine can provide in these days of dodgy web-sites. Would be nice if, like their Adult Content filter for images, you could simply set your Google to not even ask you if you wanted to continue, but block out these sites entirely (remember other people use your computer too).

Or even better still, read the Google cache of the site with all the bad stuff removed. That would be trick!

I'm sure my letter of commendation, along with Google stock options grant, is arriving any moment now.