Don’t Touch That Google Desktop

The EFF is warning people not to use Google Desktop. A new Search Across Computers feature will store copies of your Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, and other text-based documents on Google’s own servers. Unfortunately, this makes your private data far more vulnerable to subpoenas from the government, and worse.

Coming on the heels of serious consumer concern about government snooping into Google’s search logs, it’s shocking that Google expects its users to now trust it with the contents of their personal computers,” said EFF Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston. “Unless you configure Google Desktop very carefully, and few people will, Google will have copies of your tax returns, love letters, business records, financial and medical files, and whatever other text-based documents the Desktop software can index. The government could then demand these personal files with only a subpoena rather than the search warrant it would need to seize the same things from your home or business, and in many cases you wouldn’t even be notified in time to challenge it.

This is not a good thing. Read more about this issue before you install that software!

Raymond Brigleb

Creative Director, dreamer, partner, father, musician, photographer. Has been known to ride the rails. Pulls one heck of a shot.