Google Personal History

muzikool

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...could prove as embarrassing as it is helpful. Quite possibly. :eek:

Google Launches Personal History Feature

SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. is experimenting with a new feature that enables the users of its online search engine to see all of their past search requests and results, creating a computer peephole that could prove as embarrassing as it is helpful.

Activating Google's "My Search History" service, unveiled Wednesday afternoon at http://labs.google.com, requires users to create a personal login with a password. Users of Google's e-mail, discussion groups and answer services can simply use their existing log-ins.

The service allows users to decide if they want Google to automatically recognize them without having to log in each time they use the same computer. Those who prefer to log in on each visit can use a link that will appear in the right-hand corner of Google's home page.

Whenever a user is logged in, Google will provide a detailed look at all their past search activity. The service also includes a "pause" feature that prevents it from being displayed in the index.

Users will be able to pinpoint a search conducted on a particular day, using a calendar that's displayed on the history page. The service sometimes will point out a past search result related to a new search request.

Google is hoping the service becomes so valuable that people will use its search engine even more frequently than they already do, giving the company more opportunities to display text-based ads that boost its profits.

"We think there is some value in providing people with visibility into their past activity on Google," said Marissa Mayer, the company's director of consumer Web products.

But privacy rights expert Pam Dixon is worried the service will make it easier for mischief makers, snoops and perhaps even the government to get their hands on a user's entire search history.

"It's really a bad idea," said Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum. "If you need to keep track of your past searches, I recommend using a notebook. It would be a lot more private and a lot less risky."

Mountain View-based Google believes the service has adequately addressed privacy concerns, although Mayer conceded people who share a computer might not want to use the service. "This isn't for someone who is particularly sloppy about signing in and signing off," she said. "You have to have very good computer hygiene to use this."

Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news), Ask Jeeves Inc. and A9.com, a search engine owned by Amazon.com Inc., offer a feature that provides users with a limited look at past search activity. Google's software for searching computer hard drives, introduced last fall, also provides a snapshot of past Web searches.

But Google promises its latest feature will dig deeper than its rivals or even its own desktop search product.

The online service is designed to store years of each individual's search activity, although users can remove selected links from their personal archive at any time.

Because the history feature requires an individual login, it could help Google better understand each user so it can customize its results to reflect a person's specific interests, said industry analyst Charlene Li of Forrester Research.

But Li doubts Google's latest feature will have mass appeal. "I don't think this is going to be very important to the average person," Li said. "Most people are kind of paranoid, so they are going to be wondering, 'Why should I give all my information to Google?'"
 
Seems a silly option IMO. I think more bad then good can come of it.
 
I am waiting for googles hard drive search facility so I can share all my music with you all.
 
Lee said:
I am waiting for googles hard drive search facility so I can share all my music with you all.
Why wait? There are TONS of apps that would already allow this. You could setup a FTP or if you wanted an app that would allow you to chat you could use something along the lines of grouper. You of course would be sharing files that belong to you and are copyright free (or ones you hold copyright for) though. ;)
 
Well I won't use p-2-p, my thinking was if all net users had that service then hey, the RIAA can kiss all our asses.

If everyone file shared, thats every single net user they could do diddly about it.
 
Lee said:
Well I won't use p-2-p, my thinking was if all net users had that service then hey, the RIAA can kiss all our asses.

If everyone file shared, thats every single net user they could do diddly about it.
Well with something like grouper its less like a typical p2p and more like a fancy IM/IRC/file share built into 1 app it looks like. Also it's all encrypted and would be all people you invited.
 
"It's really a bad idea," said Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum. "If you need to keep track of your past searches, I recommend using a notebook. It would be a lot more private and a lot less risky"

Wonder if he knows it's tracked by default in the browser.
 
Mastershakes said:
"It's really a bad idea," said Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum. "If you need to keep track of your past searches, I recommend using a notebook. It would be a lot more private and a lot less risky"

Wonder if he knows it's tracked by default in the browser.
What do you mean? If your talking browser history, that just says you went to google. This google feature would save a list on google of your past google searches. So say you for some reason typed in something naughty. Now someone gets one your computer and goes to use google for a quick search, they have a full list of your prior searches. :dead:
 
yeah, I know, I meant browser history. hehe.... they would see your naughty typing there too ... unless you keep them out of your profile :)
 
Mastershakes said:
yeah, I know, I meant browser history. hehe.... they would see your naughty typing there too ... unless you keep them out of your profile :)
Well w/ Mozilla anyways you can just go to google and put in the site you want and open it in a new tab from google to cover your history trail (will only show google). ;)
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
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Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
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