Personalized Search From Google Now Opt-Out

An anonymous reader writes "CNet reports that 'Google now intends to deliver customized search results even to those searching its site without having signed into a Google account.' This may be what finally drives me to seriously experiment with cookie-free browsing. I consider non-personalized search results to be of value. They quasi-subconsciously give me a better perspective of the full range of information and ideas on the net. That, and I'm also a bit paranoid about a coming world with push-button infrastructure for personalized mis/disinformation."

Comments

TrackMeNot

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd wonder how it'll affect users of this nice Firefox extension...

Re:TrackMeNot

[krou]

I prefer using Optimize Google (which is based on Customize Google, but that one is no longer maintained). Optimize Google enhances Google search results, but also allows you to make Google cookie UID anonymous, plus allows you to stop all cookies being sent to Google Analytics. You can also remove Google Ads, and Google click tracking. There are other options available for most other Google tools, too e.g. GMail, Calendar, Maps, Docs etc.

Re:TrackMeNot

[sakti]

I like this relatively new cookie control mechanism. It is simple but effective.

selectivecookiedelete; https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11044

Scraped Google

[gzipped_tar]

I'd suggest Scroogle (https://ssl.scroogle.org/ -- Google sans the crap), but it seems down at the moment. Cue the conspiracy theories in 3, 2, 1 ...

proxy search services

[drDugan]

I use a proxy as my default search service, like this:

http://www.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/nbbw.cgi?q=google+is+collecting+your+data

There may also be others, but this one has worked for me.

Downsides: no cached or similar pages, no searchable search history, no cute math results, none of the value-add search links or maps at the top of the results - just the plain search results.

Upside: no data collection on my searches. (if I believe that the proxy is not also collecting data), you can also set it to give 100 search results as the default.

cookie whitelists

[Anonymous Coward]

This may be what finally drives me to seriously experiment with cookie-free browsing.

I've been doing this for a few years thanks to Firefox. Set your preferences to accept cookies (maybe 3rd party, too, depending on where you browse), but then set it to clear them when you close Firefox. Then click on the 'exceptions' button and make a whitelist of the handful of sites where you want to actually keep persistent cookies (slashdot, any forums or webshops you frequent, etc). Every time you close firefox, your Google cookie will be tossed, along with most of the others.

Re:You're not that interesting.

[NoPantsJim]

I dunno, I've found Google's targeting to be pretty spot-on, with the exception of Gmail (which is still pretty accurate). I find if I search for something, I'll get ads related to that search, not previous searches.

Re:oh c'mon

[Geoffrey.landis]

> ...the courts already declared that email stored on a third party server is
> not covered by the 4th amendment.

They have done no such thing.

c.f. Email Privacy Rights

Stored Communications Act

but also http://cyb3rcrim3.blogspot.com/2009/11/cioffi-email-search-warrant-residual.html

Re:oh c'mon

[Anonymous Coward]

Log into amazon. Click "improve my recommendations." Check "Don't use for recommendations" for anything you don't want used. Amazon problem solved.

Re:It took THIS to get you to drop cookies?

[Disfnord]

Allow temporarily will allow cookies for that site until you close your browser. Next time you open the browser and go to that site, cookies will be blocked again. Allow for session will always allow cookies for that site, but will delete them every time the browser is closed.

Re:oh c'mon

[Mr_eX9]

1. Install NoScript.

2. Blacklist google-analytics.com.

3. Stop whining.

Re: Search this!

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, for my own curiosity I'd be interested in the recommendations for alternate search engines that slashdotters think are good one to use, other than google. (Probably this has been covered as a slashdot topic before; so a link would be ok.)

(I can already find this one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_search_engines thanks)

Starpage.com. No IP logging, no tracking cookies (there is a preference cookie), lets you search over HTTPS, compiles search data from All The Web, Ask, Bing, Cuil, Digg, EntireWeb, Gigablast, Open Directory, Qkport, Wikipedia, and Yahoo.

Overall it works pretty well, but sometimes I need Google's results. That's where Scroogle comes in handy. No cookies, no query logging, ip logs deleted after 48 hours.

Also, if you're using Firefox there are a few settings I highly recommend under Privacy. Set it to "Use custom settings for history", uncheck "Accept third-party cookies", and then change "Keep until" to "I close Firefox". Then use "Exceptions" to whitelist any sites you want to have persistent cookies.

I also tend to use Privoxy + JAP when doing casual browsing (ie, stuff where I don't log in).

Privacy and Security in the Internet Age

[MarkWatson]

Just some advice that I give friends and family:

        * Delete all cookies in your browser every week - it is easy enough to sign in again to web sites that require authentication. People who do not delete their cookies never see what sites are tracking them. It is easiest to do a 'delete all cookies' operation and not to try to save the 5 or 10 cookies out of thousands that are stored in your local browser data.
        * Keep a text file with all passwords in encrypted form - and, do not use the same password for different purposes.
        * Every time you use your super market's discount card (or possibly pay with a credit card), your purchases are permanently associated with you - do you care? maybe or maybe not.

I do use a lot of web services that track what I do (GMail, for example) but I make the decision to give up privacy vs. benefits on a service by service basis.