Google Web History

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by LauraR, Aug 4, 2012.

  1. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member

    This may or may not be a new 'feature' from Google, but it pretty much pisses me off that it's set as your default as apposed to giving you the option of turning it on.

    Google Web History: https://www.google.com/history/

    I have the ability to set my History in my browser, I do Not need Google doing it for me in searches.:mad

    I just noticed it today when I did a search and noticed at the bottom of the entry 'you've visited this page many times'.

    Has anyone seen this? How long have they been using it?

    You have to be logged into your google account.



    Added: I just noticed when I logged into my two other accounts that I have and it gave me the option to say NO thanks. I do know I didn't opt into my other account though.:(
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2012
  2. Major Attitude

    Major Attitude Co-Owner MajorGeeks.Com Staff Member

    I rarely log in unless I need something. Once I discovered this with Google I began to logout as much as possible.
     
  3. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member

    It seems that's the best practice, sadly enough. I typically am not logged on since my emails come straight through to my Outlook, but we are selling a car and I created an email for that and logged in to it for something. I didn't realize I hadn't logged out.

    Now I know better.
     
  4. Sgt. Tibbs

    Sgt. Tibbs Ultra Geek

    Weird. I am always logged in (have been for easily a few months, since I selectively clear my cache), and I've never seen it. I just checked, and apparently mine is turned off. I don't remember doing that, but I'm sure I would have.
     
  5. BoredOutOfMyMind

    BoredOutOfMyMind Picabo, ICU

    Google History saved compared to Facebook privacy seems moot.

    Google is eliminating many features at the expense of sending ads and this seems oneway to insure you are correctly targeted for ads.

    (What do I know, I am a chrome/docs/picasa/listen user)
     
  6. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member


    I'm not sure how mine got turned on.

    I was given the option when I logged into my other two accounts.

    I figured I'd post about it though in case people weren't aware of this new invasion of privacy feature of google's.
     
  7. tonyhale

    tonyhale Lounge Lizard No.2

    Google is an intrusive bl--dy pest, you are all very clever people. so, why oh why do you put up with it.
     
  8. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member

    Because for the most part that stuff doesn't bug me. I take measures as far as targeted ads and I like their email. I have tried other search engines and frankly I haven't been impressed...of course, this may have to do with my reluctance to change.

    Either way, I find that most companies make sure they make their 'features' default rather giving the people the option to opt in. I can't stand that with anyone.
     
  9. mjnc

    mjnc MajorGeek

    Here are some links to Google's information about Web History, Search History and Privacy.

    Remove all Web History

    Turn off search history personalization
    Privacy FAQ for Web History
     
  10. tonyhale

    tonyhale Lounge Lizard No.2

    To each his own rolleyes

     
  11. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member

    zactly rolleyes

    Which would be why I posted this.
     
  12. Sgt. Tibbs

    Sgt. Tibbs Ultra Geek

    Out of curiosity...what would you suggest using instead?
     
  13. mjnc

    mjnc MajorGeek

    Google is still the King of Web Search, but there are alternatives that have been posted before.

    Alternate search engines

    I think the best are Bing, DuckDuckGo and Start Page.

    blekko is also very good.

    There is also Google Encrypted

    About Google Encrypted:
    SSL Search
     
  14. Sgt. Tibbs

    Sgt. Tibbs Ultra Geek

    Yeah, I know about the other search engines, but their track record with the things I'm trying to find is not so good. I'd say I find what I want within the first page of a Google search at least 95% of the time.
     
  15. tonyhale

    tonyhale Lounge Lizard No.2

    My home page is a stunning picture of the Orion nebula, a couple of favourites (2) and Yahoo, I have a rough idea how to spell, so don’t really need suggestions and adverts shoved at me, oh yes there is a u in favourites :-D


     
  16. Maxwell

    Maxwell Folgers

  17. Sgt. Tibbs

    Sgt. Tibbs Ultra Geek

    Interesting. I don't see ads using Google, but then I've been using AdBlock Plus for years. Yahoo, I find overwhelmingly full of a large amount of nonsense that I have no interest in and interferes with what I want to accomplish; namely, searching for something online. And when I do finally find the tiny little search box on Yahoo, odds are good I'm going to have to scroll through at least two pages of results before finding the thing I actually need. :)
     
  18. tonyhale

    tonyhale Lounge Lizard No.2

  19. mjnc

    mjnc MajorGeek

    I understand that there is some con.TRO.ver.sy about that.

    After all, you guys build Aeroplanes made of aluMINium, whereas we build Airplanes with aLUminum. :-D

    Oh, and BTW, Cheerio is a Breakfast Cereal.
     
  20. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    This is stuff I remove on an almost daily basis in the malware forum. Now I am not so sure about it, but at one point it was connected to something bad. :confused

    Comment from someone who uses weboftrust (not exactly foolproof i know) but their comment is honest.

     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2012
  21. mjnc

    mjnc MajorGeek

  22. Phantom

    Phantom Brigadier Britches

    As stated, (more or less), a couple of small, mostly free apps., neutralize nearly all of these 'problems'. Works for me. And yep, I've been using Google since the days when hardly anyone had even heard of it. Was the best search engine then and still is, i.m.h.o. Hence "Googling" has become a modern expression for searching via the Wide World of Web.;)
    But whatever floats your boat, I guess.
     
  23. LauraR

    LauraR MajorGeeks Super-Duper Administrator Staff Member

    *bats eyelashes* But Mr. Phantom, sir, that takes a wee bit of effort!!! *gasp* It couldn't possibly be that easy to make the best search engine ad-free!:confused

    :-D
     
  24. Phantom

    Phantom Brigadier Britches

    You must believe, young Grasshopper! Only then, can you move on and enter the Nirvana of the next world.

    ...They call it....The Face Book.:confused

    [​IMG]
     
  25. dyamond

    dyamond Imelda Marcos of Majorgeeks

    This is kind of related in the whole Google privacy thing. Today at work, I was looking up something for my coworker and on the side of my Google Search (in Chrome) it said, search results for *your location*? I was like what???? Either is this new, or I was completely oblivious to it until now. LOL

    I don't like that they have *my location* targeted and I went to try and figure out how you could turn it off like you can with Facebook but you can't. From Google:

    "The customization of search results based on location is an important component of a consistent, high-quality search experience. Therefore, we haven't provided a way to turn off location customization". I do not like this.:tas
     
  26. Fred_G

    Fred_G Heat packin' geek

    I changed my location in the Google. I like their email, but am tired of all the privacy stuff. I tried a few searches using the DuckDuckgo, it is a little slow, but game me good searches. I don't have a problem with Google making some $ but they are going a bit too far. Am thinking about using another email service as well.

    Interesting thread!
     
  27. BoredOutOfMyMind

    BoredOutOfMyMind Picabo, ICU

    I see ads on MG as I unblocked ads here to spread the wealth to the owners... ;)
     
  28. mjnc

    mjnc MajorGeek

    Sorry for being so slow.

    Referring to my previous post, I now realize that Kestrel13 was referring to
    the blekko Toolbar causing problems.

    I didn't mean to recommend the toolbar, only the search engine web site.

    There are a number of web sites offering instructions for removal of the blekko toolbar.
     

MajorGeeks.Com Menu

Downloads All In One Tweaks \ Android \ Anti-Malware \ Anti-Virus \ Appearance \ Backup \ Browsers \ CD\DVD\Blu-Ray \ Covert Ops \ Drive Utilities \ Drivers \ Graphics \ Internet Tools \ Multimedia \ Networking \ Office Tools \ PC Games \ System Tools \ Mac/Apple/Ipad Downloads

Other News: Top Downloads \ News (Tech) \ Off Base (Other Websites News) \ Way Off Base (Offbeat Stories and Pics)

Social: Facebook \ YouTube \ Twitter \ Tumblr \ Pintrest \ RSS Feeds