How to delete your Google browsing history in three simple steps . . .

Daily Mail ^ | February 23, 2012 | Julian Gavaghan

[greyfoxx39]

There is just a week to go until Google controversially changes its privacy policy to allow it to gather, store and use personal information about its users. But there is one way to stymie the web giant's attempts to build a permanent profile of you that could include personal information including age, gender, locality and even sexuality. From March 1, you won't be able to opt out of the new policy, which has been criticised by privacy campaigners who have filed a complaint to U.S. regulators.

But before that date you can delete your browsing history and, which will limit the extent to which Google records your every move - including your embarrasing secrets. Here's how:

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2105435/Three-simple-steps-delete-Google-browsing-history--late.html#ixzz1nFRLSleN

[EDINVA]

“...your IP changes every time you log on.”

Is that true? Haven’t needed tech support in a long time now, thank GOD, but when I did more frequently, my IP was the same (it seemed) from visit to visit.

[exDemMom]

Deleting search history is easy. I do it all the time, even though I have it (supposedly) set up up to not record my searches. What I'd like to know is how to delete the data stored in the drop-down box when you start typing in a search. It's gotta be stored in a file somewhere on my PC, but I can't find it. I tried using different search engines to find out how to do this, but no one seems to know.

I think those items that appear in the Google search box have nothing to do with any searches you have done. When you start to type in a search, Google uses the data from all of the searches people make to predict what you are likely to be searching for.

Just now, out of curiosity, I started typing "what is the" and the top query that Google spelled out was "what is the cinnamon challenge?" That most definitely is nothing I've ever searched for before! After making that search, Google then assumed that I wanted more cinnamon challenge searches, and populated the box with those after I had typed a couple of letters. I think, in that case, it was looking at cookies (which you can delete along with the history).

[Netizen]

i don’t have a youtube account either

[mojitojoe]

You must have a static IP. Check your freepmail.

[Netizen]

Added it to my search engine folder. May switch to it. Thanks

[Cato in PA]

I see that Ixquick and Startpage have already been mentioned. They’re tight on privacy, no doubt, but I prefer DuckDuckGo’s interface. It’s based out of the great state of Pennsylvania and has a similar focus on privacy. It gets search results from Bing.

[Reddy]

Was wondering the same thing... no account means they won’t be tracked??

[Reddy]

Correction: No account means that YOU won’t be tracked?

Also, what are the subsidiaries of Google that need to be avoided? Yahoo??

[heartwood]

bookmarking

[VoteHarryBrowne2000]

If you allow cookies then you can be tracked with or without a Google account. Google has recently been caught ignoring/by-passing privacy features in two Internet browsers to collect user data.

One way to avoid being tracked and still use Google, etc. is to use Tor www.torproject.org. "Tor is free software and an open network that helps you defend against a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security known as traffic analysis"

Download the Tor Browser Bundle and keep it updated. The Tor browser (Firefox) comes preconfigured and you can use it for all your web use or just for searches and then use your "regular" browser to go to the sites. Again, if you use another browser other than the Tor Browser Bundle then cookies can track your web usage.

If the State or your ISP wants to track your Internet usage they can do it fairly easily. Using Tor helps but it is not foolproof.

[Fresh Wind]

What I'd like to know is how to delete the data stored in the drop-down box when you start typing in a search.

I've never found a way to completely clear a single box in a single operation, but if you highlight the entry you want to remove, you hit the "Del" key, and it goes away. This works in Firefox, not sure about other browsers.

[STJPII]

Thanks

[SamAdams76]

To save Google the trouble, I just email them whenever I am about to do something. For example, I emailed them earlier today that I was having a sausage and egg sandwich for lunch. They didn’t respond but I know that they filed the information away for future reference.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

A total waste of time.

Just don't use Google. You won't miss it.

[call meVeronica]

Bump/ping

[jeffc]

I don’t use Google search much. In fact, I only use it as a last resort. Bing works fairly well, and I find that when I start to type something in, and the suggestion drop-down box appears, there is a “Manage Search History” link at the bottom right of the box. Clicking on that and clearing out things I don’t want prying eyes to see (like when I did a search at Victoria’s Secret’s site for Valentine’s Day - I didn’t want my wife to “accidentally” find out!!) seems to clear the drop-down box for all search engines.

[Master of Orion]

I use this to delete, histories,cookies, almost anything that is tracked.

Index.dat Analyzer

Index.dat files are hidden files on your computer that contain all tracks of your online activity, where have you been on internet, what sites you visited, list of URL-s, files and documents you recently accessed. Index.dat files stored on your computer are obviously a potential privacy threat as they can be found and viewed without your knowledge. Index.dat Analyzer is free tool to view and delete contents of hidden index.dat files.

http://www.windows7download.com/win7-index-dat-analyzer/download-syzxcdms.html