Anyone else stop using Google?

[kramnnim]

I stopped using Google as a search engine back when they started to autoload the search results as you type, and have been using Bing instead. Still use Gmail, though.

[daker13]

Originally Posted by jimmy-moots

If you want to step away from using the product because you have your own privacy concerns that's fine, but to complain about Google doing what they do is naive. And to think any other business that provides the same service isn't doing the same thing, well yeah, you're wrong.

And just making life hard for yourself.

If you can't figure out why someone would complain about Google, you're the one who's naive.

There are anonymous search engines. Some just anonymize Google results. A couple have been mentioned here. Not every search engine is collecting trillions of bits of info for profit and storing it on their servers. Not every search engine happily passes data to the US Government, either. I was affiliated with a university at one time, around the time word got out that the NSA checked library records to see the books that patrons were checking out. A few months later, the library sent out notice saying that they had re-configured their system so that the library computers no longer saved a patron's borrowing history. That's pretty much how I feel about my browsing history. As I understand it, Google's algorithm ranks results by what previous searchers have clicked on, which is useful for some searches, not for others, and anyway, I like to take a few easy steps and keep my browsing relatively private.

[professerr]

I don't use Google mainly because their search results are so skewed toward results related to buying stuff that they simply arent as useful to me as duckduckgo. That, and the fact that frequently the search results actually occupy only a small fraction of the page which is filled with vaguely differentiated "promoted" links and flat out ads.

The creepy privacy stuff is a secondary concern, but would be enough to get me to switch on its own.

The only time I use google search now is when I'm looking for some hard to find consumer stuff.

Maps are harder to use than Apple, and littered with ads. Same for gmail.

Firefox with various ad blocker stuff is the only way I can tolerate browsing the web now.

[goonster]

Originally Posted by jimmy-moots

Google is a business that provides a product at no cost.

I use Google, but I'm also under no illusion that there is no cost to me.

[Drmojo]

Originally Posted by Peter B

Firefox + Duck-Duck-Go.

Duck duck

[jimoots]

Originally Posted by JeffS

Really? I can complain about whatever the F I want.

You must be American.

Originally Posted by JeffS

Stop by sometime. I can poke you in the eye for free. We'll see if you're happy about it. Keep in mind that I will have considerable startup costs involving strengthening my poking finger in anticipation.

Convince me that I'm getting value from the transaction and then maybe we can talk.

[93legendti]

I've always preferred Yahoo's search engine. I turn off search engine and Spotlight suggestions and delete my history.
On my android devices I go into the Google settings and turn off the web history, location history, keep gps off unless I am using a map, don't save my places, personal results, and suggestions, etc. I don't like Google's GMail app either.

On a tablet or mobile device, you can use a secure browser like Ghost or CM. Dolphin has one as well, all free

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by jimmy-moots

You must be American.

Excuse me?

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by jimmy-moots

You must be American.

Lots of responses come to mind... but I'll just go with: Poor form, bro. Poor form.

[nicrump]

Originally Posted by bluesea

Okay. Without going into detail, which I probably can't anyway, its not just the intrusiveness. My impressions are they skew the search too much. Not that any of the other major search engines aren't doing the same, but you have to strike out somewhere. Will probably alternate around periodically.

Apple has become too big as well, but they have their consumeristic hooks in me at the moment. I'm an unabashed picture quality addict. Plus the industrial art aspect, and their unapprachable trackpad quality, means I'll be staying a while but still hoping for an alternative to show up.

tuen off location services, clean cache and temp files and as en extra measure use a proxy server when you want an un-tuned full query return.

[54ny77]

You can admit it, you've been secretly searching for Microshift components.

Originally Posted by JeffS

Now I get to sit back and wait for someone to smugly tell me that I wouldn't be concerned if I didn't have anything to hide.

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by Louis

True, but that's similar to being unhappy about the fact that you have to use gloves in the winter or lock your car door when you park outside.

There are some bad/annoying things that happen, whether we like it or not. One can try to make those things go away, but IMO that's like tilting at windmills.

Is it? One's a decision made by men; the other a force of nature.

I suppose if you consider the loss of privacy to be inevitable and unchangeable, then maybe. It's probably true, but for people to have become resigned to the idea so quickly is somewhere between sad and heartbreaking.

Of course, I can always move to a warmer climate... and my car is always unlocked.

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by jimmy-moots

You must be American.



Convince me that I'm getting value from the transaction and then maybe we can talk.

Rebuttals are easy when you completely ignore the point being made.

[CunegoFan]

Originally Posted by bluesea

Imo they have become too intrusive for their size, with not enough responsibility for what they do.

Even when you don't think you are using Google, you still are. A large percentage of websites use Google Analytics, so the Big G is "watching" what you do on many sites. Then there is Doubleclick, embedded Youtube videos, Adwords, email that you send to someone's gmail account...

The only issue I have with Google's search engine is they tweaked their search algorithm to place high value new content. Google a subject that has been in the news recently for one reason or another then all the results are news articles.

[biker72]

I use the incognito mode in Google Chrome. No record of where you've been.
There are a number of things that you can turn off in Chrome.