Extricating Yourself From Google's Tentacles

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Bloom_County

Just FYI
There are 14 tracking pieces of software ( cookies ) on this page.

It's not just Google

Unfortunately cookies are basically essential to develop any form of " statefull " web experience. You wouldn't like having to re log in everything you went to a new Cf page would you

Dave

[twistedtree]

A couple of suggestions:

- Use an email hosting service and an IMAP or POP service in conjunction with Mail on your Mac or Outlook on Windows. Don't use a web email viewer/service.

- Dump your Google+ account

- Dump your Facebook account

- If you want to post something to share with others, put it on an FTP site and send them a link to it.

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Sea Frog

OBEY!!!

I hope this is a reference to Mugatu's Dog and not Andre the Giant.

[sy_gilana]

Change to Startpage.com as your search engine.
Change to Firefox as your browser, and add the plugins like NoScript.
Also just remember never to say anything you might regret, it will exist long after you are dead and gone.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

Change to Startpage.com as your search engine.
Change to Firefox as your browser, and add the plugins like NoScript.
Also just remember never to say anything you might regret, it will exist long after you are dead and gone.

That's half of CF screwed so.....

Dave

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

That's half of CF screwed so.....

Dave

Better to regret things you have done than to regret the things you didn't do.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Better to regret things you have done than to regret the things you didn't do.

That of course depends on what particular physical circumstances you are in when you are regretting the things you've done ...

Dave

[Rhapsody-NS27]

and while you're at it, switch to any Linux platform.


Right now, Google + is more of a nuisance right now. When I comment in YouTube, I uncheck the box to share on G+. I only find it slightly annoying that now, my YouTube acct. and BlogSpot acct. is getting linked through G+. I didn't want it nor do I really use it. I'm not comfortable with all these "social media" sites wanting me to share every detail of my life. I still believe some things need to remain private.

[Pirate999]

Originally Posted by Deck Scrubber

It's the way of the world, the only way out is to switch off that computer.

Unfortunalty, DS is correct. Even some of the other search engines use google data. You may use a false name but they still have your IP address and through other data can easily tie it back to you. So false names are only partly effective. The only way is to switch off or try to use someone called TOR but even that isn't perfect.

Personally, I deleted all my google accounts. It's a start but since I'm still online, I can be tracked.

[sailvayu]

I see google as the next skynet from the terminator! There is no hiding from it every search you have done is stored in a data base, every page you view. They direct traffic as they choose, mainly where it makes them money. The more information they control the more powerful they become. They are even controlling some government data bases. They started to help you find information, now they control that information. Why do you think they give all those "free" apps? They know your computer and cell phone better than you do and changing a name is useless. Any company that has a slogan of "do no evil" has to make you wonder. As long as you use a computer or cell phone you are part of the collective and under their control whether you care to admit it or not!

[Mike OReilly]

Yup, I'm increasingly concerned. But the attacks on privacy are everywhere, and the worst thing is, most of us are willing accomplices. Wave a few bobbles in front of us in the form of card "points", "air miles", Facebook "friends" or your own video/photo channels, and most of us willingly hand over our all manner of private information. On their own, no single transaction is a problem. The danger, as others have already said, is that this information can all be linked now. In an analog world it was hard to connect all the dots. In a digital world where increasingly all systems are connected to each other, dot-connection is inevitable.

The problem is that it is nearly impossibly to exist in our modern first-world countries without being part of this privacy market. Just like it is virtually impossible to limit your eco-footprint while living a first-world existence, so too with the trade in your privacy. It's the price we pay -- whether we want to or not.

Turning off your computer is one major way to stop it all, but unfortunately that is the easy part. The problems run much deeper than that. You got to turn off all electronics, stop using digital money (credit and debit cards) and only use cash, disengage from telephone services (they are collecting and selling your info as well). Heck, I bet even your gas and oil companies are collecting and selling data about your energy usage. The problem is that once their is a market for something, companies cannot help but take part in it. There is a huge market for your identity. And all of this likely pales in comparison to the state-sponsored snooping our westerner countries are all involved in.

In other words, it's virtually impossible for most of us to get out. The system(s) do not allow that level of freedom.

I don't believe resistance is futile. As Dockhead, hellosailor, twistedtree and others have said, there are things we can all do to push back. Run through a VPN, use blockers, don't use the obvious grabbers like Google+, Facebook, etc. And use blockers for places like CF (Ghostery is showing multiple snoopers active right now on this page.)

So what's the ultimate answer? Go cruising ... off to some remote mystical land where the digital world does not yet exist . In the meantime, everyone install basic blockers, say no to Facebook, etc. and push back where you can.

[s/v Jedi]

Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated!

However, I switched to zoho.com for my email. Could use my own domain and accounts for the two of us incl. IMAP and all that for free

[Delancey]

If I was Big Brother I would be paying extra special attention to all of the people who have suddenly changed their online habits post data-collection-revelations. Wouldn't you? They would be the interesting ones to watch.

Hmm, maybe if I was Big Brother I might 'leak' some information just to see what happens. Mmmwhawwahahaha!

[sailvayu]

LOL maybe they are leaking information to bait people here to find the dissidents? You can run but you cannot hide!

[Delancey]

Seriously, they didn't leak anything smart people didn't already know. Maybe they're going after the dumb ones or the lone-wolfs. Assuming otherwise is as naive as assuming the data collection wasn't happening in the first place.