October 14, 2004

Google Desktop

by brian_turner

The net giant has released a preliminary version of a desktop program that will search computer hard drives, as well as the web.

I think I should really have named this entry: Google release Spyware. Because that’s what they’re doing.

They haven’t released this application in some magnaminous show of comraderie with the internet community – the single purpose of this application from Google’s point of view is to effectively spy on millions of computer users, and track their habits as intimately as possible.

Of course, Google’s main interest isn’t tracking individuals – it’s simply about gathering huge swathes of marketing data from users applying their software.

Essentially, it’s sugar-coated spyware.

However, Google are – currently – a well-respected company. So no doubt people will rush sheep-like to provide free large-scale marketing information to a billion-dollar corporation.

Meanwhile, the same people – having legitimately installed spyware on their machines via free downloads and freeware – will no doubt be reaching for Adware and Spybot, to try and protect their privacy from those less reputable companies – you know, those ones who use spyware to track users…

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Story link: Google Desktop

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