Google censorship tools

The US government asked Google for user information 4,287 times during the first six months of 2010.


During the same timeframe the UK government put in over 1,000 such requests.


This is just two snippets from Google's new Transparency Report, a set of tools designed to show censorship levels around the globe.
...

Data on information requests from China is absent from the current map. "Chinese officials consider censorship demands to be state secrets so we cannot disclose that information at this time," said Google.


Full Article


& the actual Transparency Report Tool

Interesting post about Google's quiet but persistent assault on user privacy: How Google Is Spying On You With Firefox 3 Safe Browsing.

If you haven't done so already, I would recommend disabling Google's Geolocation "feature" in Firefox. The Geolocation feature in Firefox 3.6 is enabled by default and only functions if you give explicit permission to a web site to use it on a case by case basis. If you wish to permanently disable Geolocation in Firefox, set this option to False.

about:config
type 'geo' in filter bar

geo.enabled - false
[Default is true]

This article addresses privacy concerns pertaining to Google: Firefox 3.5 Geo-not-locatable.

The amount of anti-Google tinfoil hat-wearing in this thread is about to reach a fever pitch. The Firefox safe browsing mechanism sends the URL 100% anonymously to Google. All they have is the URL and your IP address, neither of which can be used to identify you without a subpoena from a federal court.

//EDIT:

On the subject of Geolocation, I hope people understand that IP geolocation can't get any more specific than the city or county you live in. Again, this is done by IP address, and can be done by anyone that has your IP address. Did I mention that no personally-identifiable information can be had without a federal subpoena?

I could go through everyone's forum posts and get just as much information on people as IP geolocation could: nothing worthwhile.

Believe what you will about Google's "integrity" to preserve privacy and anonymity. This "tinfoil wearing" member doesn't buy their hype, regardless of whatever they allege.

Just as I cannot prove that Google is intentionally assaulting user privacy, you cannot prove that they are not.

Google really is terrible imho.

Not so long ago, they had special software that would install with something else a user wanted like a toolbar or whatnot, and it would also install quietly a "feature" that would automatically enable the users' microphones to listen in on them.

Google's official explanation was that it is being used so now they "know which products to advertise to users since they can match to what is playing on the tv."

And if you believe that it wasn't designed to use for other alterior motives, or that the official explanation itself isn't a notorious invasion of privacy, along with their mapping off all unhidden SSIDs for wireless networks everywhere....I have a bridge...

They really, really are terrible.

I'm not going by hype, etalmar. You can inspect the packets sent by Firefox and see for yourself. Nothing personal is being divulged.

I never, ever, argue from ignorance. If I say something, it's because I checked it myself and know it to be true.

Never happened. It was a Google Labs concept that never got out of beta.

I am not "arguing from ignorance". In fact, I wasn't arguing at all. Simply stating an opinion.

"Argue from ignorance" is merely a figure of speech, not an accusation.

I quit wearing tinfoil hats a long time ago... prefer the perforated stainless steel colander as it gives my few hair follicles that are left some precious ventilation.