The folks below rank Google as openly hostile to privacy, and give it the worst ranking of any other major online portal.

http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd[347]=x-347-553961

I admit that their blog does creep me out. The "Why we retain your search data" post has more twisted logic than column defending Bush that The Economist runs every week.

But seriously-- is it totally tinfoil hat to switch to Ask.com?

Privacy is overrated. At least for most of us in Asia.

Google is an advertising company.

What makes you think Ask.com or any other search engine is any better? WHat makes you think that it even matters to which site you go?

Repost dildo? Since like 4 months ago?

> Why we retain your search data

Easy, they exact personalization data from it. It's not a mystery.

But is 18 months really necessary? And with no way to opt out?

> But is 18 months really necessary?

I am surprised they delete them at all. When data mining that's valuable stuff.