Google's Chrome Web Browser "Has Become Spy Software"

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    Google's Chrome Web Browser "Has Become Spy Software"

    Google's Chrome Web Browser "Has Become Spy Software"


    Last Updated: 01 Jul 2019 at 10:12

    Google's Chrome Web Browser "Has Become Spy Software"


    Google's Chrome is essentially spy software according to Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler, who spent a week analyzing the popular browser and concluded that it "looks a lot like surveillance software."
    Fowler has since switched to Mozilla's Firefox because of its default privacy settings, and says that it was easier than one might imagine.


    My tests of Chrome vs. Firefox unearthed a personal data caper of absurd proportions. In a week of Web surfing on my desktop, I discovered 11,189 requests for tracker “cookies” that Chrome would have ushered right onto my computer but were automatically blocked by Firefox. These little files are the hooks that data firms, including Google itself, use to follow what websites you visit so they can build profiles of your interests, income and personality.

    Chrome welcomed trackers even at websites you would think would be private. I watched Aetna and the Federal Student Aid website set cookies for Facebook and Google. They surreptitiously told the data giants every time I pulled up the insurance and loan service’s log-in pages.
    Full article at:

    Google's Chrome Web Browser "Has Become Spy Software" | Zero Hedge

    and another article on this subject:

    Google Chrome is now logging people in WITHOUT their permission | Daily Mail Online
    PaulGo's Avatar Posted By: PaulGo
    30 Jun 2019


  1. Posts : 7,872
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
       #1

    Doesn't using Adblock and clearing the browser cache circumvent this?
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 848
    Windows 10 LTSC
       #2

    Steve C said:
    Doesn't using Adblock and clearing the browser cache circumvent this?
    I think it doesn't. As for clearing browser cache, chrome will basically just grab those if you ever go back to the websites that you "don't" want to visit again.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #3

    Hi there

    whatever grumbles have about IE11 it was great to be able to go into Developer trace mode (I think F12 or something but can't remember) and then you can see the whole slew of requests presented as a text list -- quite revealing to see how many queries are made and web sites accessed before your Google for example query is returned.

    I don't suppose any other browsers are any different --they might just hide the info -- if you did a Google search for example it's the Google web site that is then executing the code so I don't see why any browser would be different.

    I'm willing to learn here if someone could explain to me how for example the same Google query would be handled differently by different browsers !!!!!

    Some browsers might block some of the ad popups but the same code will be executed by the different browsers so essentially data is the same whatever you use and google presumably can do what it wants with it (within the law of the country you are browsing from) - and who's ever going to police the Internet properly - if at all.

    Confused !!!

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 7,724
    3-Win-7Prox64 3-Win10Prox64 3-LinuxMint20.2
       #4

    Hi,
    Kind of funny "has become" lol "has always been" would be more accurate

    Websites differ but optimized for chrome are bloated messes be thankful tenforums isn't worse
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Google's Chrome Web Browser "Has Become Spy Software"-10f-block.png  
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  5. Posts : 27,166
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #5

    Washington Post ????
    For tech news

    Might as well get your news from Enquirer or The Star
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 7,724
    3-Win-7Prox64 3-Win10Prox64 3-LinuxMint20.2
       #6

    Hi,
    Yeah really is that fake news I loose track of them all now days
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 622
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #7

    Cliff S said:
    Washington Post ????
    For tech news

    Might as well get your news from Enquirer or The Star
    Agree and Google own news site gives you plenty of crap from Washington post, Enquirer and the star I don't even bother to use it as an reliable news source anymore.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 26,417
    Windows 11 Pro 22631.3374
       #8

    There is no expectation of Privacy on The NET, no matter what Browser you use.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 27,166
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #9

    reddice said:
    Agree and Google own news site gives you plenty of crap from Washington post, Enquirer and the star I don't even bother to use it as an reliable news source anymore.
    What I actually meant I just don't trust them and Forbes(WTF Forbes Tech news), I will go to security and tech sites where they specialize on tech.
      My Computers


 

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