Chrome EULA Reserves the Right To Filter Your Web

An anonymous reader writes "Recently, I decided to try out Google Chrome. With my usual mistrust of Google, I decided to carefully read the EULA before installing the software. I paused when I stumbled upon this section: '7.3 Google reserves the right (but shall have no obligation) to pre-screen, review, flag, filter, modify, refuse or remove any or all Content from any Service. For some of the Services, Google may provide tools to filter out explicit sexual content. These tools include the SafeSearch preference settings (see google.com/help/customize.html#safe). In addition, there are commercially available services and software to limit access to material that you may find objectionable.' Does this mean that Google reserves the right to filter my web browsing experience in Chrome (without my consent to boot)? Is this a carry-over from the EULAs of Google's other services (gmail, blogger etc), or is this something more significant? One would think that after the previous EULA affair with Chrome, Google would try to sound a little less draconian." Update: 04/05 21:14 GMT by T : Google's Gabriel Stricker alerted me to an informative followup: "We saw your Slashdot post and published the following clarification on the Google Chrome blog."

Google would never...

[jonaskoelker]

I for one welcome our new robot overlGoogle doesn't filter the Internet.

Not a bad thing maybe

[eclectro]

I suggest that the google programmers bring up a small dialogue when they filter which may help;

We here at google have decided to filter some images that you were about to view. We do this in recognition that some things cannot be "unseen". This is one of those times. This is not about hot porn which does not usually sting the brain with lasting effect. These images will gross you out so bad that no amount of unicorns dancing under rainbows will help. Trust us. Sending these images along will violate our mission statement of not doing evil. Regards, google.

Tinfoil Hat Purchasing Advice

[Anonymous Coward]

I am in the market for a Tin Foil Hat but so far have been unsuccessful in purchasing a really good one.

I did some research on where to buy the best models and took the bus to the store to buy. The salesman was very helpful and I was starting to feel good that all that research had paid off and I would soon be safe.

But then it hit me. The salesman was being TOO HELPFUL! I immediately saw right through the deception. He was one of THEM!

I immediately ran from the store doing my best to cover my face with a series of dive rolls towards the door and managed to make it out of the store safely. But I was now in clear sight of THEM with no where to hide.

After desperately running down the street I managed to find refuge in a woman's bathroom for a few moments before the screams of female THEMs alerted the THEM enforcers with blue uniforms and gold badges. They dragged me away to a nearby THEM detention center with others. Not a single other detainee was wearing a Tin Foil Hat - the poor sods.

I vowed to never let this happen again. I am glad people like timothy are out there look out for us and protecting us from THEM.

Thank you timothy!

PS. I am writing this post out with my own feces. So please excuse the penmanship.

Re:Not a bad thing maybe

[Bill Currie]

Yes. I remember when it first started here. I learned very fast to watch the url in the status bar (then somebody did a mouseover attack, but /. quickly learned to filter that out). 11 years and it still gives me the creeps.

Mistrust of Google

[Rix]

Usually just translates as "I'm an asshole spammer-SEO upset that my shenanigans get nixed".

Re:Maybe just legalese?

[oh_bugger]

Don't be your neighbour and come to you with distressing problems because you'll just laugh at me?

Re:Take off you thin foil hat

[Miseph]

He has paranoid conspiracy theories... who needs evidence?

Re:Take off you thin foil hat

[palegray.net]

Ummm... that's not really saying a whole lot. Various TLAs are extensively involved in a heck of a lot of computer science research, for obvious reasons. You're right that it's common knowledge, but what's that supposed to prove?

The NSA must be using the ever-changing dynamics of PageRank behind the scenes to brute force crack all my encrypted emails...

Re:Tinfoil Hat Purchasing Advice

[Anonymous Coward]

I encountered the exact same problem when trying to buy one of those baseball caps with the bill on the side or back. The stores only display the ones with that thing sticking out in front. When I asked the salesman about one without the thing sticking out in front, he took me to the back room and . . . and . . . (THIS IS GOOGLE SPEAKING. WE HAVE FILTERED AND DEPLETED THE REST OF THIS MESSAGE. THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER REFERENCES TO "things stic . . . " SEE WHAT WE MEAN?)