All Things Microsoft > Microsoft as a Company

About Those Hidden Microsoft Files.......

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BillWP:
So a person follows the directions, and deletes the "Hidden Microsoft Files". But if what we are reading in the news is true - that Google and Yahoo know exactly what any individual person has ever searched for, and can name that person - how will deleting hidden files protect your privacy, when at any moment, Yahoo or Google may be forced to make that information public? I thought that an IP address was static, which means it couldn't be traced. I also find it hard to believe that the search engine companies are able to keep track of millions of searches, and can tell where any certain person surfed 10 years ago. Will you soon be able to call up your ISP and request this information? LOL! I'm sure my kids will LOVE that! Any thoughts?

Aloone_Jonez:
Firstly the "M$ are spying on you" thing is bullshit, almost everyone here agrees and we want to get this aritical remove from our site and replaced with something more worthwhile.

But you do have point about Google, however they will never surrender your details to a 3rd party, even the government so I think you're safe enough.

davidnix71:
Even if you have a static IP, only your ISP would know WHO you are, unless you have a registered domain name under that IP.

But, even with a dialup account and non static IP, it's possible to know almost exactly WHERE you live. Blocks of IP's can be tied to geographical locations, depending on the ISP.

I use Bell South, and my log-in cookie has a term "gloc=xyz" where xyz is the city I live in. I get (unwanted) targeted 'dating' ads because of that, and because of the Bell South practice of assigning IP's based on where the account is. Bell South is selling that info to people who target ads based on geography. I can delete my cookies, but the only way to truly hide my IP is through a proxy server.

If I use anonymouse's German http proxy and visit certain web sites, the dating ads will have German cities and German women. And, no they don't look any better over there. [Set phasers to shave, Mister Sulu].

If Google is forced to surrender search record logs, and those logs have IP's with them (they probably do) and your ISP keeps logs that far back and the gov't demands that log, then you've been made. If you use AOL, then probably not, because AOL intentionally mucks up IP's internally, for members privacy and to limit hacking of members computers. If you use anonymouse for your Google searches, then definitely not,either.

I have a Yahoo account and they will sell personal info if you let them. iccintelliserv.net cookies are the ones they are using to pass off where you go. Block cookies from that domain and they have a harder time spying on you.

Since browser helper objects in IE have the same process ID as the browser it's almost impossible to prevent Windoze from calling home if you go on the net in IE.

BillWP:

--- Quote from: Aloone_Jonez ---Firstly the "M$ are spying on you" thing is bullshit, almost everyone here agrees and we want to get this aritical remove from our site and replaced with something more worthwhile.

But you do have point about Google, however they will never surrender your details to a 3rd party, even the government so I think you're safe enough.
--- End quote ---

No, I don't think M$ is spying either. I just find it hard to believe that Yahoo or Google knows exactly who we are, and would make public anyone's internet history if they did know. Thanks for the link. It was informative.

H_TeXMeX_H:
On the topic of German women ... I prefer Russian and Dutch women ... they really do look a lot better over there :D

Now ... getting back on topic ... if they know your IP they know who you are, but if Google continues to refuse giving the gov. your IP address along with what you searched for you are safe. I believe you can contact your ISP and they can retrieve their server logs of your activity as long as they kept them. I think they do erase them periodically. In general, I doubt the ISP really cares what sites you visit.

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