When do you use google services?

The only time I use google services is when I'm searching for videos to watch on Youtube. Or when I'm using Gmail. Other than that, I use www.startpage.com for all of my searches. I hate it when google tracks all of your searches. But I can't avoid using Google when I'm searching for Youtube videos to watch. Or I can't avoid Google for gmail. I use gmail mainly because it is free, and I don't want to pay for an email service like HushMail.

 

I use Google search, Google Maps and GMail. Google Chrome is a joke of a browser.

EDIT: I´m also using YouTube.

 

I occasionally use YouTube and on rare occasions their search, both through Tor only. I configured my firewall to prevent my browser from connecting to Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others directly. They get no data from me. Any data they get from my IP comes through Tor.

 

I'm using Gmail, Youtube, Search and Chrome. I'm never logged in when using Search or Youtube. I'm also not logged in Chrome...

 

While this is not your 100% solution, it's a start - a TPL or tracking protection list is available for Internet Explorer users.
http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/Browser/p3p/Default.html

 

Point your Browser at Disconnect search in lieu of Google.
(product plug not intended or implied) - a shortcut URL wherever you like bypasses Google.
https://search.disconnect.me/

 

@siljaline

That is just awesome! TY. The one reason I don't use DDG & SP everytime is because the lack of filters & pertinent results.

 

There's actually an addon for that...

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/disconnect-search/


There's also this:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/googlesharing/

And these:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/gdc/
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/google-no-tracking-url/

And this:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/trackmenot/

 

Yes but that's specific for Mozilla users - you can simply point at the URL sans the add-on, if you wish.
I presently do not use the Mozilla add-on, it's untested at Siljaline Labs.

 

I'm assuming your thanking me for the Google tracking protection list (or)

 

Q: When do you use google services?
A: All the time?

 

No. For this: https://search.disconnect.me/

I'll take a link though.

 

I try not to use Google services.

-- Tom

 

I've cut back to just Youtube, Twitch (which they practically own as well now) and Android (but with Cyanogenmod). Of course Google analytics and the other tracking kind of stuff you have to block with Noscript and Privacy Badger type of things.

 

Yeah, I try not to use Google as much as possible. If you install virtually any Google app you wind up with the Google update Service turned on. Once upon a time years ago I when I first realized the invasive nature of Google I examined my registry after a uninstall of a Google product. The leftover registry bloat I discovered after the uninstall was horrifying to someone who prides themselves on a clean system. NirSoft RegScanner can do manual wonders if you have a good knowledge of the MS registry.

 

I still use Google Search as my main search engine and occasionally You Tube. If someone wants to mine my sometimes sordid history of searches for whatever the reason, including marketing anti-deoderant, trying to find some basis of legal or criminal action against me, ~ Snipped as per TOS ~. I use no other Google services except an occasional free download from its app store for my exploitable Android phone.

 

I use Youtube, and Google Search (google.com).
But I have not created an account for any google service, yet anyway.

 

Google Chrome, Android, and even Chomebook user here. Still only getting public information from me. I try not to hide everything and treat only the important stuff as private.

 

1) Don't you have to have a Google cookie set for Google to keep track of your searches?

2) When Law Enforcement has zeroed in on someone because of their searches, where does Law get that information? From Google? From the person's computer? From the person's ISP?


----
rich

 

You're quite welcome. The link is probably better than the add-on as it ads no clutter to your toolbar.

 

I've been fiddling with FF this evening. When I have Disconnect Search 1.4.1 & Yet Another Context Search 1.31 extensions installed. All Google searches go through DisconnectMe even right clicks. Nice.

I'd like to change Amazon in context menu to Smile.Amazon so I don't forget the 1/2% to charity. Don't know how though, the tutorials are all wrong.

 

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thr...ervice-besides-hotmail-gmail-or-yahoo.354768/

 

I use google apps gmail and search. I got a free google apps account years ago when they were giving them away. It is much better than the normal gmail. I'm not worried about google tracking me in the google services I use. Everything in my emails is business or something that is more or less public or semipublic. I block all their adds. I use another computer on a VPN for searches I don't want connected directly to me. They probably don't like people like me too much. Their business model would collapse if everyone did things the way I do.

I would never install any of their client software, Chrome, Picassa, Google voice. The only exception to this list is Google Earth. I'm using a version from 2010 which gets used a couple of times a year at most.

 

I use gmail and youtube, I don't login to youtube though.

 

I use Gmail, G+ but only for storing photos (which are kept private) and for Hangouts. No social use of it.
I rarely use Youtube.
For searching: startpage
I use Chrome with sync on (however with another google account which is used for this purpose only).

I also use Google Maps (on iOS with location history enabled).

Just a question to many of you that do not use google services...do you use an android smartphone or don't?
If you have an android device all your precautions may be useless.