[Jim]

I'm sick of seeing stuff that i've been previously been browsing appearing as adverts on other sites. It's all down to google.
Any other good search engines that people can recomend that don't snoop what you're surfing

[slackline]

No, but you could use a script blocker to block scripts/cookies from Google (if you're using Firefox then something like NoScript) and if you've a Google account make sure you're not signed in when using search and decativate Web-history for the google account (if you have one that is).

[fried]

You can opt out of the advertising on Google, although if you clear your cookies you need to opt out again.

Whether that means they're not snooping on you is debatable.

[slackline]

Another option might be to simply ignore the adverts completely, whether they're directed/targeted at you or not (personally I only ever click on adverts for sites I wish to support and never buy anything anyway).

Alternative search engines that I've heard of are...

Yahoo!
Bing
Wolfram (Alpha)
Webcrawler (oldskool!!)
(Ask)/Jeeves!


..as to whether they're any "good" I've no idea, I personally use Google (tried Wolfram for a few technical things, but it wasn't anything I could find on Wikipedia/via Google quickly anyway), and whats considered "good" likely depends on the person (most hits, most relevant hits presented first, most recently updated links returned first, no advertising, no tracking your search history).  The Wikipedia page lists a fair few  with the dates they went live and whether they're still active (Full list of search engines).

Be interesting to know what you find useful, so please do report back.

[stevej]

Isn't it the doing of the google javascript things rather than direct use of google services? I noticed that extremely focused wiggle/some climbing shops ads pop up on completely unrelated sites using chrome but with firefox+scriptblocker I can see that wiggle runs google-analytics and more specifically "googleadservices" javascript er, scripts.

Google do store lots and lots of information and history about you whether you use them or not. I didn't try to work out if the focused ads (and by that I mean browsing history) is linked to google id or just local cookies but I wouldn't put it past them to be secretly compiling everything about everyone on the planet... Not using a google id should at least minimise privacy issues.

[Johnny Brown]

I'm also sick of Google tailoring search results to what it thinks I want. Is there a simple way to stop this, seem to remember a recent video about the wider social implications too?

[slackline]

I'm also sick of Google tailoring search results to what it thinks I want. Is there a simple way to stop this,

As has been written above, block scripts/javascript/cookies is a good start, not being logged into gmail/google account when searching too.

Worth distinguishing between what you're saying (customised search results) v's what Jim is on about (tailored advertising based on recent search terms used).

seem to remember a recent video about the wider social implications too?

That would probably be this one I posted (can't remember where I posted it though, I had to Google it  )...

[fried]

http://www.google.com/ads/preferences/html/intl/en_us/plugin/

Start there. There is also a permanent op out for Chrome.

[slackline]

http://www.google.com/ads/preferences/html/intl/en_us/plugin/

Start there. There is also a permanent op out for Chrome.

Useful for the advertising, but not the search results issue (I'd guess, not tried it).

[Jim]

nice one, its not just the adverts, its what Johhny said as well.
Will try some of that shit out

[Johnny Brown]

Its ridiculous, you should be able to opt out. Does Bing do it too?

[Somebody's Fool]

Are you sure it's google doing it? I get pop ups all the time. And I've never once searched for Party Poker

[Jaspersharpe]

Its ridiculous, you should be able to opt out. Does Bing do it too?

Bing is fucking wank.

[Johnny Brown]

I'm not talking about pop-ups or ads, I don't get pop-ups and the ads are easily ignored. Its the fact I can't get use google to search without getting a skewed result. Watch the video above if you don't understand, once you twig what they're doing it becomes very noticeable.

[slackline]

If you want to see what cookies Google have left on your browser then under Firefox (on Linux, think Preferences are slightly different under M$ versions) Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy Tab -> Show Cookies button.

Once there search/filter on 'google.co' (which will capture google.com and google.co.uk, although not google.ie).

You'll likely have quite a few to scroll through, most probably meaningless.

If you want to permanently block cookies from google then from the same Privacy tab under Prefernces there should be an "Exceptions" button, click on this and you can create an exception which will block all cookies from whatever domain you want to put in (e.g. "google.com" and "google.co.uk" might be good starting points).  Unless your using something like NoScript you might also want to deselect "Accept cookies from sites" so that you are prompted each time a site asks to leave a cookie in your browser cache.

Are you sure it's google doing it? I get pop ups all the time. And I've never once searched for Party Poker

You should get some sort of plugin that blocks pop-ups, depends what browser your using but its relatively easy and saves you the hassle of having to Alt+F4/close them.

Guardian Tech article on filter search bubbles

[slackline]

Just found it, but you could always try Scroogle.org which should return anonymised search results.

[remus]

Duckduckgo is basically google without the personalisation stuff.

Personally i dont buy the search bubble argument, though. At the end of the day search is there to help you find what you're looking for and tailoring your results gets you where you want to go more quickly.

[underground]

I'm not talking about pop-ups or ads, I don't get pop-ups and the ads are easily ignored. Its the fact I can't get use google to search without getting a skewed result. Watch the video above if you don't understand, once you twig what they're doing it becomes very noticeable.

It does but personally, I don't remember ever paying anything for any of Google's services, and I use them quite extensively. I guess you could say I'm hooked and reeled in, but I can't argue with the fact that their business model is drawing loads of people in with very excellent web based products, then targetting the same people as a method of generating loads of advertising revenue. Just like ITV and Channel 4 in a way. I just choose to ignore ITV.

However, I do agree with the fact that, if the 'filter bubble' is happening, it absolutely must be stopped in order to stop bias and entrenchment of ideas etc - but I think that's got to be user driven using stuff like duckduckgo, because Google are never going to say 'oh yes we must be stopped' for the good of mankind.... hence 'you should be able to opt out' is tantamount to saying 'they' should do something.

I'm going to start using duckduckgo as my default search engine and see what happens - initial results are drastically different

[slackline]

Duckduckgo is basically google without the personalisation stuff.

Personally i dont buy the search bubble argument, though. At the end of the day search is there to help you find what you're looking for and tailoring your results gets you where you want to go more quickly.

Watch that video, and then think about it from a political aspect.  A month or so ago search for "Egypt" and one person gets information on holidays, the other gets information on the uprising.

You don't think that this is an important and undesirable bias that could potentially be exploited to control the information you are presented with (in much the same way that current media outlets control the spin on the news that makes it onto our airwaves)?

Yes you might find out what you want, but if you're not having something returned in your search results you remain ignorant to it.  How do you know what you're missing out on?

[Jaspersharpe]

Just get your information from Twitter instead?

Search on there and you get what millions of people are saying on a given subject plus loads of links to different sources on it. Sure it wont be long before "promoted tweets" become more prevalent and fuck it all up but for now, searching on there (re something like Egypt in your example) is probably the best way of finding out what's going on with anything. You get bias, but in every direction so you get balance.

I've been using it for a while now but this week has been a bit of a revelation as to the extent that you can use it / the power that it can wield. From Brighton's record transfer to the NOTW revelations I've not only found out what's actually happening (rather than what anyone wants me to know) but I've found it out AS it's happening (and in the case of NOTW, seen why and been a part of it happening).

I realise this only works for topical stuff but still, pretty amazing.......

[Stubbs]

That video is awesome, let's all try the Egypt thing and see how different our results are!

Here's mine, guess I like holidays more than Arab Spring!



thing is, if I wanted news about the uprising, I wouldn't just type Egypt into my search engine...

[tomtom]

Just get your information from Twitter instead?

Search on there and you get what millions of people are saying on a given subject plus loads of links to different sources on it. Sure it wont be long before "promoted tweets" become more prevalent and fuck it all up but for now, searching on there (re something like Egypt in your example) is probably the best way of finding out what's going on with anything. You get bias, but in every direction so you get balance.

I've been using it for a while now but this week has been a bit of a revelation as to the extent that you can use it / the power that it can wield. From Brighton's record transfer to the NOTW revelations I've not only found out what's actually happening (rather than what anyone wants me to know) but I've found it out AS it's happening (and in the case of NOTW, seen why and been a part of it happening).

I realise this only works for topical stuff but still, pretty amazing.......

Twitter is the hotbed of breaking news.. For examle, yesterday we Learned that TommyTwoTone buys his climbing jeans from Burton and Jasper still denies getting his threads from Asda (though we know it's all true!). Furthermore, I am a Internet scammer!

Twitters great, though you have to know your onions a bit...

[slackline]

Just get your information from Twitter instead?

Search on there and you get what millions of people are saying on a given subject plus loads of links to different sources on it. Sure it wont be long before "promoted tweets" become more prevalent and fuck it all up but for now, searching on there (re something like Egypt in your example) is probably the best way of finding out what's going on with anything. You get bias, but in every direction so you get balance.

Twitter is indeed brilliant for news, no need to convince me of that, I was explaining the example to remus who either doesn't think it happens or doesn't think its important (or at least relevant to themselves).

[Jaspersharpe]

That video is awesome, let's all try the Egypt thing and see how different our results are!

thing is, if I wanted news about the uprising, I wouldn't just type Egypt into my search engine...

Exactly

[fried]

I just get a load of semi-clad Egyptian girls