#BoycottGoogleSearch
https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/11/24/why-is-googles-eric-schmidt-so-a...
Eric Emerson Schmidt’s name is associated with the world’s largest and most systematic data collecting search engine, Google, that millions upon millions use. School children, teachers, parents, media people, politicians and you and I all daily “google” what we need to know.
sounds god like to me, or maybe more cult like, either way
who the fuck is he to decide.
Playing God
This very powerful corporate leader with a open political orientation has decided – as will be seen 58 seconds into the video – that the Internet and his hugely dominating search engine a) shall cave in to political pressure, b) de-rank at least these two Russian media organizations because c) he knows they are “propaganda outlets” (it isn’t discussed at all or compared with US or other countries’ media) and d) in the name of political correctness it is OK to limit the freedom of opinion-formation.
In fact, he says in a few words that he – well, not he himself but a computer program and mechanism called an algorithm – shall decide what you are I shall be able to find. Google as Good, Google as God.
Conspicuously, his de-ranking – read censorship – policy shall not hit media (as far as we can understand from this clip at least and not from this backgrounder either) that have, for instance, been using fake news and planted stories, omitted facts and perspectives and sources and told us propaganda and worse about, say, US wars around the world.
It’s Russia’s media. And naturally you ask: Whose next? And where does that end? (“Wherever they burn books, in the end will also burn human beings.” – Heinrich Heine).
As he asks the $64 mil question, whose next?
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Yes, Boycott Google Everything!!!
Google, and to as much extent as possible, Facebook. And Twitter.
I've been boycotting such for many, many years. Google has very little information about me. I use DuckDuckGo search and have for years. I block the hidden Google trackers and Facebook trackers and advertising trackers that build profiles of which websites you visit. I've removed just about all references to me with Google searches. Never joined Facebook in the first place.
It is very complicated, though. Facebook asks you to upload all your contacts to them when you start an account, so if you are a contact on anyone else's mobile phone, you have a hidden page on Facebook (I'm sure it's the same on Google+). You can encourage people you know to remove any contact information about you in their Facebook accounts at the following link (they will need to log in to their account from that page to remove it):
https://www.facebook.com/invite_history.php
but you'll need to do that with EVERYONE who might have you as a contact in their phone and who belongs to Facebook and who uploaded their contact list (most people actually do, it seems). See the following link as to how Facebook builds a profile about you whether you're a member or not--they almost certainly have your name, phone number, and any other information someone might have about you (address, nicknames, etc.):
https://gizmodo.com/how-facebook-figures-out-everyone-youve-ever-met-181...
People are so, well, stupid when it comes to things like this. They don't expect they are giving so much personal information about their friends and family to some third party to use as they see fit.
Also, take a look at DuckDuckGo's "How to Live without Google" page for good tips as to how to avoid that beast as much as possible:
https://spreadprivacy.com/how-to-remove-google/
Final tip--never give anyone online your real phone number or email address. Not even when using Amazon or shopping for things. Just make a note of your confirmation number for a purchase and check in yourself to track it (You can contact Them, never have Them contact You).
Good info, thanks
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
Had the conversation yet?
....
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Thanks, bookmarked
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi
"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone
Great suggestion. I on their email
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
@apenultimate Here are a couple of more
https://www.privacytools.io/
https://pack.resetthenet.org/
I have a limited, fixed income so the paid features are largely unavailable to me. I haven't been able to ween myself from Gmail yet. I haven't found anything free that offers the features and ease of use that Gmail provides.![Sad](https://caucus99percent.com/sites/all/modules/smiley/packs/kolobok/sad.gif)
DuckDuckGo is a so-so
search engine at best but it still beats using Google. I only use Google when DuckDuck acts stupid.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Linked in does similar things
A few weeks back it recommended my palimony lawyer from 25 years ago. Icky.
I have a “gmail” account because I own a domain and google will host it for a few bucks a year. I don’t get ads in my inbox but they keep trying to turn it into a regular gmail account and up sell me all their useless crap.
We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg
Google has always done this.
So have most other modern search engines.
The "relevance algorithm" -- the reason you don't just get "Fred" when you run a search on "Fred" -- is part-and-parcel of all surviving search engines.
Back when there was real competition between search engines, sites like the now-defunct Metacrawler offered a "search the search engines" functionality which bypassed this problem somewhat. But the competition is gone -- all major search engines behave in remarkably Google-like ways, so Metacrawler no longer does anything, and thus has gone away.
Unfortunately, this also means that boycotting Google won't accomplish much, as everybody else is essentially Google, too. Best bet: go for personal privacy, and leverage your searches to force the engines to reveal what Google doesn't want revealed. DuckDuckGo does this without requiring any leveraging; ixquick/StartPage has gone to being an anonymizer for Google, so leveraging search terms is essential there.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
What you want is Dogpile.com
They amalgamate multiple engines. Over 20 years and still going strong inexplicably.
Prof: Nancy! I’m going to Greece!
Nancy: And swim the English Channel?
Prof: No. No. To ancient Greece where burning Sapho stood beside the wine dark sea. Wa de do da! Nancy, I’ve invented a time machine!
Firesign Theater
Stop the War!
dogpile.com
Dogpile's still around! Great to know, thank you!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I made the switch
DuckDuckGo for me now.
Now to minimize Google on my Android tablet
I want a Pony!
root root root for the home tablet
You may need to obtain full-admin access to your tablet (root it) in order to do that. Android is Google's Linux flavor and, of course, the Google relationship is baked-in.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I unfortunately believe we are about to lose the net.
Far too many politicians have been properly bribed.
About the only way we can keep it is if we pony up MORE money, to prevent them selling off the infrastructure for pennies on the investment.
And then even if they're properly bribed by the people, that will last only for one session. Unfortunately both the Democrats and Rethugs are united in their belief that the best populace is an ignorant and compliant one.
Time to play some music that the PTB don't like. Because I know for a fact that at least one country already bans these guy's videos for stupid reasons.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGtEH1i78sI]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
Sabaton ban
It's Russia. And the ban isn't principally on their videos; it's on them. Some arch-doltarians in positions of power seem to think Sabaton's a bunch of Nazis. This about a power metal band whose main themes are to glorify those who fought the Nazis!
Seems the metalheads in Stalingrad/Volgograd have their facts straight, while government bureaucrats in Moscow have their heads firmly implanted you-know-where!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Real Artists and politicians are natural enemies.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
pissy politicians vs. real artists
As Michelangelo can tell you, that problem's a lot older than the heavy metal genre! "When will you be finished?" "When I am done! When will you start paying me?"
Or, as one early psychedelic rock band put it so well:
-- Grateful Dead, "Truckin'", Weir/Garcia/Lesh/Hunter
source
[video:https://youtu.be/pafY6sZt0FE]
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
An added link
Seems scientists have been at the forefront of this. this is from 2015.
https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2015/03/07/boycott-google/
I want a Pony!
Real Science
A little info about Tony Heller a/k/a Steven Goddard (short version):
Longer version:
Other links regarding his his credibility as a "climate expert:"
http://reallysciency.blogspot.com/p/who-is-steven-goddard.html
http://www.glennmurray.com.au/should-we-take-climate-change-deniers-seri... (scroll down to 5) “But NASA, NOAA and the BOM doctored the data” for a review of Heller/Goodard's CT that NASA and NOAA altered the temperature records and an explanation of how he attempts to deceive the gullibke into believing that claim)
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2008/05/how-to-cook-a-grap...
I disagree with any censorship, but Heller/Goddard is not the best representative for why Google's censorship pogrom is dangerous.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Ooops
I want a Pony!
Better:
We need a movement where people vow to not purchase any product that shows an ad. Goes widespread enough and we cut Google Facebook etc off at the knees.
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
I've been tryng to get there, and also any who telemarket or
bilk mail print spam.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Sounds like a browser plugin could work for this?
"This product was promoted by Google on a few sites you visited, and was sold very hard on other neoliberal pages including TOP. Would you like to return to safety now?"
Probably wouldn't work very well on Chrome.
and another good read
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/clear-data-google-attempt-regain-privacy/
I want a Pony!
Good news ...
Bozo's personal net worth now estimated to be more than $100 billion.
Boycott Amazon too, while you still can.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Agree! Have not for couple of years .
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Why not Youtube? Same company.
I usually block youtube, because google is evil. No one seems to care because sharing videos is fun.
I can't parse apart the billionaire asshole behavior sometimes, it is the same company, the same algorithms, the same rotten stinking advertisements. They are worthless to humanity, do not deserve support. Their awful culture has ruined the Bay Area, it just keeps getting worse. Californian Ideology writ large. http://www.arpnet.it/chaos/barbrook.htm
Next facebook. Evil. Zuck evicts poor people all over the place, he can because he is a billionaire. Asshole. San Francisco is a cesspool of corruption. Amoral politicians abound, local, state, federal.
Filter out all robots and advertisers, that's what I say. Clean up the Internets for real, bring back public airwaves with no proprietary algorithms in between. /whiplash
The Free Software Foundation is having their annual fundraiser too. Free Software, Free Society
https://www.fsf.org/
thanks
Already using DuckDuckGo on everything but images
because I can't embed DuckDuckGo-searched images here, or at least I don't know how to.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver