If you don't think Google is evil, check out the article mentioned in "Google Bugging Your Home?" on the Big SEO page. If they can pull off monitoring your microphone transmissions, I wonder how long before they try to remotely activate any cams you have. They could try to use them to take your pic and then compare it to other pics associated with suspected multiple accounts.

One more thing...I don't have any Google tools/software installed, but I'd like to know if it's possible to associate the searches make with your browser with your identity if you use the same browser to log into your Adsense account. Anyone know? I may be paraniod, but right now I use Firefox to check my Adsense and Safari to surf.

Cheers,

Rich

Hi Rich

Interesting question you pose above.

The simple answer to your question is Yes! If you have 'cookies' enabled for the SE you use to 'search' and for you Adsense login, then they can be 'read' and 'compared', and a link 'established'.

The simple answer is:

(i) Disable cookies for Domains you suspect may be 'tracking/linking' your on-line activity.
(ii)Don't leave your microphone and/or your camera. plugged-in/switched-on, when you don't need them.

In similar fashion to you, I don't have any 'proprietary' toolbars installed, for the very reasons you put forward in your post. Nor do I have 'mikes'/'cams', left 'live'.

Sidenote!
In the days of 'Prohibition' in the USA, anyone working in the law-enforcement branches of the Federal Government, (FBI, Treasury, Secret Service, etc.) were known as 'G-men'. I wonder if we now have a new generation of 'G-men'?

There is a saying by someone (in)famous,(Woody Allen?) that goes something along the lines of:

'Just because your paranoid, doesn't mean that they ain't out to get you!' LOL

The other thing that always goes through my mind, when I am offered something for 'free', however useful it may appear to be, is the old 'motive' question, that used to be the opening question in any 'classic' murder investigation - 'Who stands to gain from this?'

99 times out of 100, the answer will be 'the supplying party'.

On almost every occasion, when you install any kind of 'toolbar/utility' software, you will be asked to 'agree' to an EULA( End User License Agreement). With no legal knowledge whatsoever, most people will 'sacrifice' some of their privacy-rights, to gain the 'functionality', that the software 'promises'.

My take on this is the 'classic': 'Caveat Emptor' (Buyer Beware!)
even though you don't appear to be 'buying' anything.

HTH

Kind regards

Ian

You need to catch up. It's still with us, if you haven't noticed.

When I walk away from my system, everything is powered off. I don't use mics. I don't use cams. I,too, have no Google items installed. I have taken Kurt's advice and all domains have different "owners" without lying.

For a short time, in CA, I was a CSI instructor. I'm well aware of leaving "trails" and "markings." And I've done all I could to keep my history clean and I'm weaning myself OFF of Adsense, specifically for THAT reason. They're not the only cash register in town! And other registers hold much more money.

I went from employee to contractor in my field (Broadcast Engineering). Why? More money and more freedom of choice. I'm applying the same mindset on the net. Because all the so called "gurus" tout the omnipotense of Adsense, I'm not gonna "baaa" any longer.

John

John

Hi John

I always was a bit sloww... LOL

As I live in the UK, you'll have to excuse my lack of contemporary knowledge of the culture of the US. I also don't watch TV, so I get no information via what most people would regard as 'normal' channels'.

I have resisted the urge to jump on the Adsense 'bandwagon', until a couple of weeks ago. As yet I have only one site with Adsense applied. It will be used sparingly to say the least.

My view is similar to yours, in that chasing the Adsense bandwagon, you are more or less enslaving yourself to the way big G says it has to be. So I'll find other ways to monetise sites, rather than hang a a big neon sign out to enable G to come along and ban my sites because they don't like something. Stuff em!

Kind regards

Ian

Here's another good article on Google's surveillance:

Is Google Evil?

Note how Page and Brin go out of their way to shield their privacy.

Cheers,

Rich