google desktop users beware

[trochee]

EFF points out the risks of the new "search across computers" option for Google Desktop.

"Unless you configure Google Desktop very carefully, and few people will, Google will have copies of your tax returns, love letters, business records, financial and medical files, and whatever other text-based documents the Desktop software can index. The government could then demand these personal files with only a subpoena rather than the search warrant it would need to seize the same things from your home or business, and in many cases you wouldn't even be notified in time to challenge it. Other litigants—your spouse, your business partners or rivals, whomever—could also try to cut out the middleman (you) and subpoena Google for your files."

Heads up. [em-dashes corrected here; see comments for discussion of the encoding errors in EFF original]

Comments

[boobirdsfly.livejournal.com]

That is so lame.

I am totally going to disable my google desktop.
Sucks !!!!
because i love it so much and it indexes all my plays and it's just so great.

why is the government doing this.... why why why ????!!!

[trochee.livejournal.com]

I think you can keep it, as long as you read the options carefully, and set the settings to not index "across computers".

Read the EFF article for more, if you want.