Most security and privacy sites seem to agree that Google Toolbar is either privacy-invasive, a security threat, or both...but what about the 'Googlebar' in Firefox? Is it harmless, or just as nasty as the Google Toolbar? I'm asking, because I need to know whether or not to eliminate it.
Google and "privacy". What a quaint idea for anyone to pretend Search Engines OR ISPs deliver 'privacy'.
I'm not sure if I understand the question because using the toolbar isn't any different than using the Google website, Google probably tracks all of your searches anyway. I do use Googlebar Lite because when I search from the address/search-bar in Firefox it' slow to load the search results (some kind of bug), no such problem with Googlebar Lite. https://addons.mozilla.org/nl/firefox/addon/googlebar-lite/
Interesting, but I fail to see how it answers the question of whether on not Googlebar is as bad as Google Toolbar.
Googlebar Lite is an add-on you have to choose to install. Googlebar is put forth as an add-on: http://googlebar.mozdev.org/ but many have said it came pre-installed with firefox. Anyway, the question is simple. Google Toolbar has privacy and security issues. Does the Googlebar have the same privacy and security issues that the Google Toolbar has? I need to decide if I have to excise the Googlebar from Firefox.
If you want privacy using Google, you must handle that through compartmentalization, segregating activity in (at least) multiple VMs, and using such anonymity networks as Tor, JonDonym and/or VPNs.
I didn't realize that Googlebar is a separate add-on. I thought you meant the Firefox search bar with Google in it.
I could not find any info about Googlebar having any privacy/security issues, but the only way to know for sure is by using a network sniffer, to see if Googlebar is "phoning home". But the fact that it isn't developed by Google is already a good thing, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.
You're right...there is Google Toolbar, Googlebar, and the Firefox search bar having Google preinstalled. I was confused! I do indeed mean the latter, as shown here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/search-bar-add-change-manage-search-engines-firefox I am trying to find out if I need to delete Google from this search bar. Is this benign, or as privacy-invasive as the Google Toolbar, Googlebar, etc.
