Google is evil

Firefox reports your IP and all nearby wifi systems to Google. Thunderbird reports your IP to Google. From the nearby wifi systems, Google can locate you relative to nearby wifi points.. From a multitude of browsers reporting in, it can locate wifi systems relative to each other. When it does ground level photo drives for Google Earth, it locates wifi systems relative to streets and houses. Knowing the location of some wifi systems relative to streets and houses, it can locate all wifi systems relative to streets and houses. So when you launch a search for a sexual preference, or a politically incorrect fact, Google can tell where you are sitting, what house you are in, when you search for unapproved knowledge. It keeps this information forever.

The intent is that when you search for a restaurant or some such, Google will know to provide information about local restaurants. But Google notoriously plays ball with governments. More sinister uses are also possible. And why does Google need to know the geographic location where your email is coming from?

To turn this off:

• Mozilla Firefox
  • Type ‘about:config’ in the address bar
  • Click through the warning
  • Type ‘geo.’ in the search box. A list of items appears
  • Doubleclick on the geo.enabled item till it reads ‘False’
  • Rightclick on the ‘geo.wifi.uri’ item and select ‘Modify’
  • Modify the item from evil google to ‘http://localhost’
• Mozilla Thunderbird
  • Select Tools/Options/Avanced/General/Config Editor
  • click through the warning
  • type ‘geo.’ in the search box. A list of items appears
  • Doubleclick on the geo.enabled item till it reads ‘False’

Google piously proclaims:

Your privacy is extremely important to us, and Firefox never shares your location without your permission.

This is of course a lie. Firefox never shares your location to advertisers without your permission – but it does continually send your location to Google without your permission.

If your privacy was actually important to Google, the browser would only send this information to Google when advertisers requested it and you gave them permission.