How many of you are aware of Google’s 'hidden' phone-home program?

[Anastasius]

What would you think about a piece of software that:

• Google installs in your computer without explicitly asking for your permission, nor giving the options to decline it;
• that it frequently sends data back to Google without your knowledge;
• that it can’t be configured via a setting menu;
• that there is no uninstallation tool for you;
• and that it will re-install by itself if you delete it.

It's called GoogleSoftwareUpdate and if you go into your Console and look at the logs you will see that it is stealing your CPU cycles and your internet bandwidth and can be a right PITA whenever it gets too enthusiastic.

[Dave2002]

I'm not surprised. I'm very suspicious and wary of Google and its software. Recently "it" tried to draw my attention to the "fact" that my system wasn't well enough protected, and suggested that I sign up to yet another of its products "to keep data safe and private ... etc." Like handing over the keys of a car or a house to a burglar or mugger for "safe keeping" I shouldn't wonder.

[Dave2002]

Another Google "issue" spotted today. I went looking for information and performances by Heinz Holliger.

I found this - https://youtu.be/agFBqxEDr6I and this - https://youtu.be/A2UC3Fo765w

When I tried to access these on my iPad inside Firefox I got a message

"YouTube Privacy Warning

YouTube (owned by Google) does not let you watch videos anonymously. As such, watching YouTube videos here will be tracked by YouTube/Google."

Presumably one can't watch the videos without giving Google information which will alow that system yet again to log data of your interests.
I'd hardly think that watching an oboist play either a piece by Mozart, or a piece with multiphonics is going to be of great interest.

[Anastasius]

Another Google "issue" spotted today. I went looking for information and performances by Heinz Holliger.

I found this - https://youtu.be/agFBqxEDr6I and this - https://youtu.be/A2UC3Fo765w

When I tried to access these on my iPad inside Firefox I got a message



Presumably one can't watch the videos without giving Google information which will alow that system yet again to log data of your interests.
I'd hardly think that watching an oboist play either a piece by Mozart, or a piece with multiphonics is going to be of great interest.

Interesting that we have two different perspectives. Unlike you, I couldn't care diddly squat about Google, Faecebook or anyone else knowing my searching habits etc. But I object to having a piece of software installed on my computer without my permission and, agree it's miniscule, slowing it down by stealing CPU cycles.

Almost as much as I hate all that cookie cobblers and latterly the wasted time by everyone going o about what they will do/will not do with your data etc.

[Dave2002]

Interesting that we have two different perspectives. Unlike you, I couldn't care diddly squat about Google, Faecebook or anyone else knowing my searching habits etc. But I object to having a piece of software installed on my computer without my permission and, agree it's miniscule, slowing it down by stealing CPU cycles.

Almost as much as I hate all that cookie cobblers and latterly the wasted time by everyone going o about what they will do/will not do with your data etc.

I do dislike being tracked by Google or other organisations. I expect the security services will do it anyway if they want to, so the issue is one which mainly concerns commercial organisations. We know that these hoover up data, and then use it for various nefarious purposes, such as bombarding us with adverts for things we don't want, or selling the data on to others so they can do the same sort of thing, or others for doing even more dodgy things.

I am also really fed up with the supposedly "well meaning" blocks on every web site now - asking for "permission" to do something or other. In almost all cases most users are simply going to click "yes", so it's really just a pointless waste of time, yet passes the buck in case any problems do eventually occur - "we asked you, and you said 'yes'" - huh!

[ChrisBennell]

It's not just Google either. Just this week, I found that my regular daily backup had stalled at 1% after 2 hours. Normally takes 30 minutes. Investigating what was occurring, I found that a Service called HP Touchpoint Analytics was hogging 70% of CPU resources, and doing nothing useful! Apparently this program is commonly installed on HP laptops without the users knowledge, and exists to "harvest telemetry information on your device" for HP. But I don't have a laptop - mine is a desktop - non HP - but I do have an HP Envoy 5640 ink jet printer . So I can only think this rogue Cr-pware found its way in through the printer software installation. I permanently disabled the service, and my backup picked up and completed as normal.

It's really unacceptable - and the average non-technical user probably would not have a clue how to diagnose and fix this.