Before you continue… ... the last bastion of online privacy has gone!

RumRat

LHW99 wrote: »

Yes they've had them in the UK & you get to a point where you can't use even Google search without clicking the OK

Never, ever, seen anything of that nature when using Google search, on any browser...Ever....

ARandomMiser

The important words are "This isn’t about a change we’ve made — it’s just a chance to review some key points." - so basically nothing has changed.

Maybe computers and mobile phones are not for the more paranoid in society - you do have a choice on whether or not to use them and, should you decide to use them, then you need to suck it up that everyone in the chain will be collecting data.

paddyrg

Any battle was lost a long time ago. Google know how long you hover on a link, their ad services and g+ buttons act as web bugs, DNS so they follow you there, or Chrome, or Android, blog visits, etc. They have their own network infrastructure where they use their own protocols for speed, they do a LOT of aggregating. What they are brilliant at is structured data from unstructured information. When Google went down for a few minutes a couple of years ago, web traffic dropped by 40%.

agarnett

ARandomMiser wrote: »

The important words are "This isn’t about a change we’ve made — it’s just a chance to review some key points." - so basically nothing has changed.

Nothing has changed? :rotfl: Right ... and it looks like you took Google's word for that too!

Maybe computers and mobile phones are not for the more paranoid in society - you do have a choice on whether or not to use them and, should you decide to use them, ...

... You got that bit right ...

... then you need to suck it up that everyone in the chain will be collecting data.

Well, they can try, but they'll be collecting a little bit less from me than most - I simply don't believe in making it too easy by clicking everything that says "I accept" and then turning my back to face the wall while they have their wicked way

Stevie_Palimo

agarnett wrote: »

Nothing has changed? :rotfl: Right ... and it looks like you took Google's word for that too!

... You got that bit right ... Well, they can try, but they'll be collecting a little bit less from me than most - I simply don't believe in making it too easy by clicking everything that says "I accept" and then turning my back to face the wall while they have their wicked way

For me I believe you are being ultra paranoid and this reads as though you have something to hide from the wording of your posts here, If you really are that unhappy about this situation have you thought about moving into the woods and becoming a full time off grid spoon whittler ?

somersethillbilly

I ditched Google ages ago, for DuckDuckGo.
https://duckduckgo.com/about

almillar

agarnett - which search engine/email provider etc do you use?

agarnett

Stevie_Palimo wrote: »

For me I believe you are being ultra paranoid and this reads as though you have something to hide from the wording of your posts here, If you really are that unhappy about this situation have you thought about moving into the woods and becoming a full time off grid spoon whittler ?

Well you might not be surprised that I think your retort reads like you have only a shallow understanding of data science and its capabilities. Ignorance can be bliss

Anyway, I've neglected this thread since I have been back home in the UK. I was about to say I was pleased to report that all the "Before you continue ...." pop ups disappeared! I do however confidently expect them to be back immediately I next set foot in Europe and when you think about what actual national difference could be causing the popups to be now you see me now you don't phenomena, it isn't particularly heart-warming.

And it's not paranoid, Stevie. All it is is a set of brief but neat observations and it begs interesting questions about comparative data protection laws between countries who are all in EU - you'd have thought perhaps that all EU countries would be on the same page as regards whether Google neesd an explicit tick box agreement to do what it likes with your personal data. Apparently not.

What do we deduce so far from my observations which are entirely accurate (trust me I was trained as a scientist - I get little pleasure out of not understanding something propoerly or in exaggerating!

I think for this evening I shall simply deduce that some countries insist that their citizens are given a chance to say No to Google, whereas UK doesn't think we deserve a vote. So it is less about data protection law than it is about secret intelligence - I vaguely recall that parliament did pass a law, or wave through a bill for second reading or something earlier this year which gave more snooping power to HMG.

We'd be surprised if HMG were not working closely with Google, wouldn't we?

almillar - apologies for not responding earlier - been very busy today. I always use Google as a search engine but the "Before You Continue ... " pop up which will not go and cannot be moved aside, until acceptance is given is something which appears when I am in Europe and attempt to use any of Google's services other than Gmail itself. Obviously whatevever I may have inadvertently agreed to in Gmail's T&Cs means I don't get so much choice on what data they are snooping!

I do use a number of email providers but very rarely access my email via a web browser.

ARandomMiser

agarnett wrote: »

I do use a number of email providers but very rarely access my email via a web browser.

Not wanting to make you more paranoid but I think you will find that analytics are generally taken en route with the actual final presentation element not playing a big role. However if you are using a company provided Exchange type server then there may well be more protection - but pretty much anything unencrypted will be analysed - there are even government agencies to do that (basically if it is transmitted via the internet then someone somewhere will be analysing it no matter how you access it).

I would also avoid using a mobile phone since the information they provide the company and security agencies is incredible.

The latest fashion in tin foil hats is the full face crash helmet since it guarantees no waves can get in.

DigForVictory

When I signed up to the tesco club card, I saw my shopping privacy erode & figured that on balance, I could live with that.
It took me two years to save up for the smartphone I wanted, mostly for the incredible freedom of "Google in my pocket" - which is how I saw it then.
Now? My data is bought & sold & I've decided to just roll with that.
I do wish the lads had more savvy &/or more choice, but nothing comes free.