
Chrome sends a suspicious tracking parameter on every Google search - hrjet
http://superuser.com/questions/653295/what-is-the-aqs-parameter-is-google-search-query
======
nly
It happens in Chromium too... it's literally a 1 minute code search to find
out where this is constructed:

[https://code.google.com/p/chromium/codesearch#chromium/src/c...](https://code.google.com/p/chromium/codesearch#chromium/src/chrome/browser/autocomplete/autocomplete_controller.cc&sq=package:chromium&type=cs&l=582&rcl=1383945446)

[https://code.google.com/p/chromium/codesearch#chromium/src/c...](https://code.google.com/p/chromium/codesearch#chromium/src/chrome/browser/autocomplete/autocomplete_controller.cc&sq=package:chromium&type=cs&l=392&rcl=1383945446)

Looks harmless enough. It just provides omnibox autocomplete timings to search
engines.

~~~
lampe3
if you click on the var you get on this page:
[https://code.google.com/p/chromium/codesearch#chromium/src/c...](https://code.google.com/p/chromium/codesearch#chromium/src/chrome/browser/search_engines/template_url.h&sq=package:chromium&type=cs&l=85&rcl=1383945446)

ther is a link with more details: [http://goto.google.com/binary-clients-
logging](http://goto.google.com/binary-clients-logging)

but for that you have to login with a google employ account...

~~~
pearjuice
Heh, that login page is marked up with a tabular layout. I wonder why Google
as a "cool-kid" company never properly redesigned its internal applications. I
can only shudder at the usability of "moma". Or is it just the login page?

------
pearjuice
>If you want to use Google, use the barebones search query
([http://google.com/search?q=%s](http://google.com/search?q=%s))

>Disable the webservice for finding navigation errors (happens via Google)

>Disable the autocomplete omnibox features (happens via Google)

>Disable the prediction of network actions (happens via Google)

>Disable protection against phising and malware (happens via Google)

>Disable requests for translating webpages (happens via Google)

>Disable HTTPS validity checks (happens via Google)

>Disable background apps

>Disable Google Cloudprinter detection

And with that, you have gotten rid of all tracking interaction via Google at
browser level _which is user configurable_ (i.e. accessible via
chrome://settings).

~~~
josteink
Out of curiousity... Are all those options in Chromium too?

Does anyone know for certain what differences between Chromium and the closed-
source Chrome is?

I find it very hard to trust a browser from the internet's biggest user-
tracking- and ad-agency.

~~~
pearjuice
These are the only options you can modify from the assigned UI for it
(chrome://config). As far as I know, Chrome is the branded version of
Chromium. Chromium development is done by open source contributions, but
mostly they are on the Google payroll. What do they get from this? As you
said: user-tracking so they can deliver even more targeted advertisements. It
is great they also deliver a FOSS-ish browser, but there is only a small
minority actually using Chromium. The majority gets to use Chrome which, due
to Google branding, is vastly more popular.

Their search engine also greatly benefits from all the data hoarded.

------
genericacct
At least on the desktop they bother sending autocomplete requests over https.
On android, autocomplete is a security disaster. the stock browser up to 4.2
sends anything you type in the addressbox in cleartext over the "wire".
Haven't checked if chrome does the same thing but i would guess they share
some of their codebase.

I think it's time to start compiling your own browser..

~~~
icebraining
You could just use Firefox.

------
mavdi
The fact that it sends it in Incognito mode too, is very concerning.

------
byjove
Isn't there a guideline about editorializing submission titles?

~~~
pearjuice
Flag those you don't like and don't bother starting meta discussions. The
moderators will figure it out.

