Chromium browser accused of silently sending user information to Google.
According to TechSpot, popular web browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera and Brave, all based on the open source Chromium platform, are being accused of silently sending user information to Google.
According to Luca Casonato, a Dutch software developer, an extension called “hangout_services” that came pre-installed in these browsers collected data on users’ CPU, GPU, memory usage, and other details when they visited Google websites.
Chromium browsers are accused of secretly sending user information to Google.
Chromium browsers are accused of secretly sending user information to Google.
It is worth noting that the APIs (application programming interfaces) that enable this data collection are not public and are reserved for Google to use on their own websites. This makes this information inaccessible to other websites, especially Google's competitors, raising concerns about unfair competition and violations of the European Union (EU) Digital Markets Act.
Google explains that this data collection is intended to improve user experience by optimizing video and audio performance, especially for services like Google Meet. However, this explanation does not allay concerns about privacy and fair competition.
The European Commission is currently investigating Google, along with Meta and Apple, for alleged violations of the Digital Markets Act. The covert collection of user data without explicit consent could be a key element of the investigation.
The incident has once again raised questions about privacy and how big tech companies collect and use user data. Users are increasingly concerned about protecting their personal information and demanding more transparency from tech companies.
Google's 2,500-page secret document leaked, revealing search ranking algorithm.
A 2,500-page internal Google document called the "Google API Content Warehouse" has been unexpectedly leaked on GitHub. The document reveals detailed information about how Google's search ranking algorithm works, including the factors and components that influence search results.
Google's search ranking algorithm leaked online.
Google's search ranking algorithm leaked online.
Although Google has since removed the document, a copy remains on third-party indexing services. This has caused a stir in the SEO and digital marketing community, with many viewing it as the “secret guide” to ranking high on Google.
However, experts warn that this document is not the core key to automatically climb to the top of the website. It only provides basic information about the factors that influence search results, but does not reveal the weight or importance of each factor.
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Furthermore, some of the information in the document is said to be outdated or no longer accurate. There are even statements by Google that are said to contradict the content in the document.
Still, the leak is a notable event, demonstrating the great public interest in Google's search algorithm. Google has yet to comment on the incident.
