Would you pay Google to NOT track/profile you?

[Miramonti]

Based on this thread about Google and it's partner paying $5/quarter to track you, would you pay $5/quarter to Google for an assurance that you will NOT be tracked/profiled when using each of it's services/sites etc.?

Given that privacy on the internet is a large concern for many, and that google's services are awesome (maps, earth, searching, gmail, docs etc.), what is this privacy worth to you?

http://www.screenwisepanel.com/trends/index.html

 

[SlitheryDee]

Nope.

 

[lxskllr]

No. I'd just pay to use different/better services. Google isn't the best. They're just generally the best in their price range(gratis).

 

[ShawnD1]

What a stupid question. That's like asking if I would pay $20 for some dude to not-rape my wife. I can not-rape my own wife, thank you very much.

If you don't want them knowing stuff, stop posting stuff. The name on my facebook profile is spelled wrong just so it's harder to dig up dirt. People also assume my name is Shawn because that's my user name. That's not my name.

 

[Miramonti]

What a stupid question. That's like asking if I would pay $20 for some dude [who's the most prolific rapist on the planet] to not-rape my wife. I can not-rape my own wife, thank you very much.

If you don't want them knowing stuff, stop posting stuff. The name on my facebook profile is spelled wrong just so it's harder to dig up dirt. People also assume my name is Shawn because that's my user name. That's not my name.

I'd venture to guess Google has already data-raped her.

"Stop posting stuff" is pretty shallow, like saying just don't use the internet...brilliant! Google's scripts are found on most sites and are very difficult to avoid contact with their servers, and those are just the peripheral contacts and not direct use of their services. For that matter, it's difficult to even register for a site like this without using google (Captcha).

 

[ultimatebob]

Why do I care? I'm using ad block software, so they're probably not making much money off of the information they're collecting.

 

[arcenite]

No. I'd just pay to use different/better services. Google isn't the best. They're just generally the best in their price range(gratis).

Gratis... LOL

I guess you're privacy isn't worth anything to you. :whiste:

 

[Beev]

Why do I care what Google knows about me? Why do I care what anyone knows about me?

 

[lxskllr]

Gratis... LOL

I guess you're privacy isn't worth anything to you. :whiste:

I used "gratis" specifically. That means given without cost. "Free" OTOH is a confusing term in English. That can mean "without cost", or it can mean "libre", as in "freedom of speech". Google services are closer to the term gratis, though that isn't an exact fit.

 

[arcenite]

I used "gratis" specifically. That means given without cost. "Free" OTOH is a confusing term in English. That can mean "without cost", or it can mean "libre", as in "freedom of speech". Google services are closer to the term gratis, though that isn't an exact fit.

Curious... what other services are out there that are paid?

 

[Miramonti]

Why do I care what Google knows about me? Why do I care what anyone knows about me?

You can answer that question easily by using your real name/location in your profile, Mr. Beev.

 

[Beev]

Chris Bever, Beev is even my irl nickname.

I'm just an unremarkable person is all, so no one should even care about my information.

 

[Miramonti]

No. I'd just pay to use different/better services. Google isn't the best. They're just generally the best in their price range(gratis).

You can use other services, but unless you block all their servers, you can't block all their data aggregation techniques. And if you block all their servers, many sites don't work properly without access to sites like googleapis.com or ajax.google.com(iirc.) And of course all the google captchas.

 

[Saint Nick]

That would be ridic. They should be paying me to use my data for their personal gain, not the other way around.

 

[Miramonti]

Chris Bever, Beev is even my irl nickname.

I'm just an unremarkable person is all, so no one should even care about my information.

I've nothing to criticize you for if you don't mind your real name being out there and have no privacy concerns, but it's fair to say you're probably a minority.

 

[Miramonti]

That would be ridic. They should be paying me to use my data for their personal gain, not the other way around.

They will if you install the screenwise extension in chrome.

 

[lxskllr]

Curious... what other services are out there that are paid?

Hard to say. Google is involved in a little bit of everything, but I'll give a few substitutions...

Search - DuckDuckGo. Without cost, but doesn't track you in any way. Privacy is what they're about.

Email - Lavabit. They don't scan your email for keywords, and they have server side encryption. Alternately, you can run your own email server.

Browser - Firefox. Libre software, and you can tell exactly what they're doing by looking at the code.

Office Collaboration - Run your own server using libre software. I don't know the particulars as I don't use it.

Social networking - Diaspora. Gratis and libre. You control your data.

 

[FoBoT]

i asked my cat, he say's he ain't payin'

 

[lxskllr]

You can use other services, but unless you block all their servers, you can't block all their data aggregation techniques. And if you block all their servers, many sites don't work properly without access to sites like googleapis.com or ajax.google.com(iirc.) And of course all the google captchas.

I have most stuff blocked pretty well with Ghostery. I still use Google services, but I'm getting away from them. When I get to the point that I'm Google free excepting the trivialities of non related sites, I'll just quit using those sites.

 

[Miramonti]

I have most stuff blocked pretty well with Ghostery. I still use Google services, but I'm getting away from them. When I get to the point that I'm Google free excepting the trivialities of non related sites, I'll just quit using those sites.

I'm guessing Ghostery here? Is this a browser extension or desktop app (that perhaps runs as a proxy, filtering traffic?)

 

[lothar]

I wouldn't pay any company not to track me.
It doesn't matter whether it's Google, Microsoft, or DuckDuckGo.

 

[Ben90]

I've nothing to criticize you for if you don't mind your real name being out there and have no privacy concerns, but it's fair to say you're probably a minority.

Ben Bernier

 

[lxskllr]

I'm guessing Ghostery here? Is this a browser extension or desktop app (that perhaps runs as a proxy, filtering traffic?)

That's a browser extension that blocks a lot of scripts and cookies from many companies. The privacy isn't absolute, but it goes a long way towards that goal. Everything's a trade off between convenience and security. There's much more anonymous ways to use the web, but things get really slow, and you lose a lot of features.

 

[Miramonti]

Ben Bernier

It does nothing for me but google should thank you for now identifying all 1900 AT posts and associated information, along with everything else they've got on your internet activity, with a name now.

 

[ShawnD1]

"Stop posting stuff" is pretty shallow

You come to a forum, post on a fake name, then claim that using a fake name like jjsole is shallow.