Michael Zimmer.org

Rob Sullivan at Search Engine Journal questions whether the new “search across computers” feature of Google’s Desktop software really puts users’ privacy in jeopardy. Yes, it does. To respond to some of Rob’s observations:
So what if you have to give Google this ability? Google will encrypt the data so that no one else can access it. And even if there is some sort of DOJ subpoena requiring access to these files I don’t think it would stand up in court.
This is because Google has set up a network whereby …

Google released a new version of their Desktop software, which includes a feature allowing users to search their files across computers. The service is not activated by default, and (savvy) users can opt to block certain files from being accessible across computers.
Even with these helpful design considerations, this service remains problematic. For “search across computers” to work, Google has to copy your computer’s files to Google’s servers, and then those files are available to be downloaded on the other linked computers. Previous versions of Google Desktop merely indexed your files; …