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EFF Wants Ubuntu To Disable Online Search By Default

Posted by Soulskill on from the just-works-vs.-just-works-correctly dept.

sfcrazy writes "Ubuntu 12.10 met with some controversy before and after its launch about the inclusion of Amazon product listings alongside local search results. Now, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised concerns around data leaks and Amazon Ads. The EFF has asked Canonical to update Ubuntu so it disables 'Include online search results' by default. 'Users should be able to install Ubuntu and immediately start using it without having to worry about leaking search queries or sending potentially private information to third party companies. Since many users might find this feature useful, consider displaying a dialog the first time a user logs in that asks if they would like to opt-in.'"

2 of 124 comments (clear)

  1. Useless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Every time I search for "tentacle rape furry herm hentai" I get zero results from Amazon anyway.

  2. enhancement request by MadMaverick9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Some ubuntu users feel that this amazon search functionality should be expanded to other applications as well. For example grep search results should include amazon search results.

    https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+bug/1055766