GOOGLE
- the good and bad
Google is so popular, we use it as a verb -
Go "Google it". Amazing! It's truly
amazing at how much the Internet is a part of
our everyday lives.
While Google is wonderful, as will all good
things, it has a bad side.
The GOOD
I can find anything on a Google Groups (by clicking
on “Groups” above the search box). If I'm having
a technical problem I often start here. You enter
your question in that search box, and Google
quickly brings up the answer from a techie discussion
in its memory.
The BAD
Google's memory contains the conversations of ALL
Internet groups and forums. You might
give some very confidential information to someone
in an Internet group, not realizing that anyone
with access to Google can find this information.
They only need the right word or phrase that
will pull up that particular piece of information.
Remember - What you say in an Internet
group or forum belongs to the world. So
NEVER give out user names, passwords, or any
personal information on these or any discussion
boards.
The GOOD
Google can find for you the address and phone
number of anyone in the United States. This does
not apply to unlisted phone numbers. It can also
give you a map of how to get to that address!
This is great for businesses and great for people
figuring out how to get to a social event. It
is also BAD
The BAD
If you have a small child and you have taught
them his or her telephone number in case the
child gets lost. Do you want anyone who hears
that telephone number to have both your child's
address and a map showing how to get there? Do
you want anyone who calls you
to have your address and a map of how to get
there?
GOOGLE IS NOT ASKING YOUR PERMISSION TO INCLUDE
YOU IN THIS FEATURE. YOU ARE ALREADY IN IT. To
test this, go to http://www.google.com/ and
put your telephone number (without any hyphens
or spaces) into the search box. You should be
offered the address of your house, with the option
of a map.
Fortunately Google has supplied a way to BLOCK this
feature. Go to
http://google.com/help/pbremoval.html
You should be out of that feature within 48 hours
of your request.
GOOGLE SEARCH PRIVACY
In short - it's a mess. Here it is.
1. DOES GOOGLE KEEP A DETAILED RECORD OF MY SEARCHES?
The answer is a firm “yes and no.”
It can keep a detailed record if it wants to,
but, unless you specifically ask it to, it doesn't.
Some people DO want Google to keep such a record,
in order to make their searches faster and better.
If you want this service, go to
http://labs.google.com/
And “personalized search” is the first item.
(Also check out the new features coming to us
through the lab.)
2. WILL GOOGLE TELL THE GOVERNMENT WHAT I'VE
SEARCHED FOR?
It's trying not to. In an effort to protect children
from pornography, the U.S. government in January
2006 asked the four leading search engines (Google,
Yahoo, Microsoft, and AOL) to turn over one week's
search queries, without identifying who made
the request. Google turned them down, while the
other three gave the government information,
though they emphasize that they didn't give ALL
the information requested.
As of February 2006 this difference of opinion
between Google and the government is working
its way through the courts.
Privacy experts think that, while protecting
children from pornography is a worthy goal, and
the government didn't ask for individual information,
giving this information might be the thin edge
of the wedge. Next time the request could be
less benign.
3. HOW ABOUT THE RECORD OF SEARCHES IN MY DROP
DOWN LIST?
You may have noticed that when you type “google.com” into
the address box of your computer, a drop-down
list of recent Google searches appears. Would
you rather it didn't?
Google's reply is essentially, “We didn't furnish
that drop box. It's from your Internet browser.” But
out of the soft part of its software heart, Google
will tell you how to get rid of that information.
Click below:
http://www.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=465
The same page tells you how to get rid of your
Google Toolbar history and your browser history.
4. I DON'T WANT MY PERSONAL INFORMATION TO BE
INCLUDED IN SEARCH RESULTS.
Google says, “We'd like to assist you, but information
in our search results is actually located on
third-party publicly available webpages. In order
to remove your information from our search results,
you'll need to contact the webmaster of this
third-party site. To learn how to contact the
webmaster, please visit http://www.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=9109
“Once the webmaster of the non-Google site removes your information
or blocks Google from including this page in our index, our search
results will automatically reflect this change after we next
crawl the page. If the webmaster makes these changes and you
need us to expedite the removal of the cached copy, please let
us know by clicking on the Contact us link below.”
IS THE INFORMATION I GET FROM GOOGLE ACCURATE?
Again, the answer is “yes and no.” I always say
of anything, take it with a grain of salt and
don't belive everything you read. Here's an Example:
When her doctor told her she had glaucoma,
she went online to find information. She wound
up in a forum where people exchanged glaucoma
horror stories. She left convinced she was about
to go blind.
Later she found Web sites with information from
top-notch medical specialists in glaucoma. She
discovered that blindness was very unlikely so
long as she cared for her eyes properly. The
sites also gave details about caring for her
eyes.
That is the Good and Bad of Google. And not just
Google. The whole Internet is a mishmash of reliable
and unreliable information. After awhile, though,
you get a feel for what is reliable and what
is someone's irritable, ill-informed opinion.
And cruising the light side of the Internet can
be a lot of fun. Informative too.
My motto (one of many) is BE INFORMED
AND GO FORTH
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