Purpose of pdfsam enhanced toolbar full#

For example, I observed the transmission below when I searched Yahoo (green highlighting) for 'laptops' (yellow).

With a network monitor, I confirmed that these transmissions include the full URLs users visit – including domain names, directories, filenames, URL parameters, and search terms. Google Toolbar’s “Related Sites” and “Sidewiki” (user comments) features also require similar transmissions. For example, to tell users the PageRank of the pages they browse, the Google Toolbar must send Google servers the URL of each such page. 'Enhanced Features' Transmissions Track Page-Views and Search TermsĬertain Google Toolbar features require transmitting to Google servers the full URLs users browse. I criticize the fact that Google’s disclosures have worsened over time, and I conclude by identifying changes necessary to fulfill users’ expectations and protect users’ privacy. I then revisit how Google Toolbar’s Enhanced Features get turned on in the first place – noting the striking ease of activating Enhanced Features, and the remarkable absence of a button or option to disable Enhanced Features once they are turned on. I then offer screenshot and video proof showing that even when users specifically instruct that the Google Toolbar be “disable”, and even when the Google Toolbar seems to be disabled (e.g., because it disappears from view), Google Toolbar continues tracking users’ browsing.

I begin by reviewing the contents of Google’s 'Enhanced Features' transmissions. In this article, I provide evidence calling into question the ability of users to disable Google Toolbar transmissions. And users who want to disable such transmissions can always turn them off – or so I thought until I recently retested. But in my testing, even Google’s bundled toolbar installations provides some modicum of notice before installing. Some critics find this a significant privacy intrusion ( 1, 2, 3).

Run the Google Toolbar, and it’s strikingly easy to activate “Enhanced Features” - transmitting to Google the full URL of every page-view, including searches at competing search engines. But I write on my own - not at the suggestion or request of any client, without approval or payment from any client. I also serve as a consultant to various companies that compete with Google.

Disclosure: I serve as co-counsel in unrelated litigation against Google, Vulcan Golf et al.

Purpose of pdfsam enhanced toolbar full#