Inside Google

Google’s Growth Makes Privacy Advocates Wary

Perhaps the biggest threat to Google Inc.’s increasing dominance of Internet search and advertising is the rising fear, justified or not, that Google’s broadening reach is giving it unchecked power. "Google Suggest" sends Google searches as you type, in hopes of
anticipating your desires. So if you’re keying in "Electoral College
2008 election," Google will offer multiple search queries along the
way. First you’d be given results related to the term "electoral," then
ones on the Electoral College in general, and finally you’d get links
pertaining to Tuesday’s presidential vote. This is what worries
Consumer Watchdog: Say you key in something that could be embarrassing
or deeply personal, but reconsider before you press "Enter." The
autosuggest feature still sends this phrase to Google’s servers, tied
to your computer’s numeric Internet Protocol (IP) address.

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