untangling_the_web

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restrict the indexing of specific files. Nonetheless, users who have registered with
Google-for example, Gmail account holders-should have more concerns because
of the potential for Google to "connect the dots" and create a detailed profile of its
registered users.!"
Google Desktop is not alone in creating concern for security experts. All desktop
search tools are inherently problematic, but Microsoft's desktop search tool is
probably the most worrisome because it launches ActiveX in Internet Explorer, and
ActiveX controls are among the most notoriously vulnerable applications on the web.
Neither Microsoft nor Yahoo integrates web and local desktop search as Google
does (yet). However, users can limit the Google Desktop to searching the hard drive,
disabling the web search feature and thus gaining a measure of security. To do so,
users need to make a decision during the setup. At the end of the setup process,
Google Desktop asks you to enable or disable "Advanced Features." Enabling
Advanced Features "sends Google non-personal data about how you're using the
program, along with reports if it ever crashes. It also sends information about the
websites you visit so that Sidebar can show personalized info, such as personalized
news. Analyzing this data from many users helps our engineers better understand
how people actually use Google Desktop and therefore how we can improve it. If
you don't want Google Desktop to send this information, simply uncheck the
Advanced Features checkbox. Desktop will immediately stop sending any of this
non-personal information to Google.,,215 You should also uncheck the option to keep
your local files and cached web pages permanently out of your Google web search
results; this option is under "Google Integration" in the Preferences window.
Search expert Danny Sullivan offers a very good and measured assessment of
desktop search, in particular Google Desktop, in which he offers sensible advice for
keeping your data safe and private while still enjoying the benefits of desktop
search.
Danny Sullivan, "A Closer Look at Privacy and Desktop Search,"
SearchEngineWatch.com , 14 October 2004,
http://searchenqinewatch.com/sereportlarticle.php/3421621
214 Elinor Mills, "Google Balances Privacy, Reach," CNET News, 14 July 2005,
(14
November 2006).
215 Google Desktop Features, (14 November
2006).
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