First Impressions on Chrome

Just downloaded it. 

Before downloading I was looking for one feature and one feature only.  And I found it.  It was just as I expected.

You have to opt-out of opt-in to the browser sending your surfing history to Google.  Here is the image right at the General tab if you opt-in.  One wonders why opting in is the first thing Google asks you to do after agreeing to the terms of use.  It's because collecting usage data is paramount.

Now think of the data Google will have access to:

1) Pages you visited (everything below is a subset of this)

2) Pages that made you go to google and search

3) Pages you went after searching

4) Pages you go to while using google products

5) Pages you go to right after using google products

6) Which google competitor is doing well

7) Which isn't

the list goes on and on and on

This kind of rich data will make advertising a lot more relevant, but it gives a ton of power to Google.

It also makes product development all that much easier, they'll know what to build next by looking at what people are doing.

We live in the age of statistical sociology, that's for sure.

What I don't know is whether the Google toolbar did the same.  If it didn't this is a big big product for Google.

Comments

[Ekim Nazım Kaya]

Hi Baris,

You might have missed the screen where user is asked whether he/she wants to send usage statistics on the setup wizard. Since that option seems to be checked on your screenshot, i believe you unintentionally have opted-in during the setup process. So that's technically an opt-in, not an opt-out.

[baris]

Very interesting, I can't recall that in the setup, maybe I missed it, maybe it's not consistent across all installs.

Either way, just statistically a lot of people will opt-in and they'll still get the benefit.

Ironically, I tried to uninstall and re-install just to see that window, but it wouldn't let me uninstall saying there are open chrome windows, when there weren't any. Beta product.

I am going to try on another computer soon to make sure.

[Anu Nigam]

Google toolbar opts into store your history. But then you can search through your history for stuff which is kinda cool.