The following is a quoted paragraph from Google's Privacy Policy:

"Some of our services, including Google Toolbar and Google Web Accelerator, send the uniform resource locators ("URLs") of web pages that you request to Google. When you use these services, Google will receive and store the URL sent by the web sites you visit, including any personal information inserted into those URLs by the web site operator. Some Google services (such as Google Toolbar) enable you to opt-in or opt-out of sending URLs to Google, while for others (such as Google Web Accelerator) the sending of URLs to Google is intrinsic to the service. When you sign up for any such service, you will be informed clearly that the service sends URLs to Google, and whether and how you can opt-in or opt-out."

Now, how paranoid does this make me feel? Plenty. Is it possible w/ Windows XP using IE to permanently "opt-out" from all sites within Windows itself?

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks! DAG

Hm. Well try some other browser than Explorer. Foxfire just came out with 2.0

Also there are other browsers for us paranoid folk which direct your traffic through various servers and hosts and what not to prevent tracking of your whereabouts.

Lastly, don't use Google.

Google sucks, in my opinion so to Microsoft:

Take a look see: http://www.****microsoft.com/

The stars replace a dirty word that rhymes with duck....

Google Web Accelerator uses Google as a caching proxy to speed up web pages. Of course it knows what URLs you're visiting! DUH!

In the case of Google Desktop and Google Toolbar, both ask at install if you wish to enable "Advanced Features", along with a TOS agreement. At this point you can decline to enable these features. If it's already installed, open the Options window, most of the features that exchange data are marked as such.

...and no, IE cannot "opt-out" of the features by itself. In fact, IE is probably the worst as far as data security goes.

You'll probably like Firefox and it's handy "Clear Pirvate Data" feature.

BTW - That tin foil hat looks nice on you.