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September 21, 2007
The Google Privacy Policy describes how we treat personal information when you use Google's products and services, including information provided when you use Google Desktop. In addition, the following describes our privacy practices that are specific to Google Desktop.
Information we collect
- The Google Desktop application indexes and stores versions of your files and other computer activity, such as email, chats, and web history. These versions may also be mixed with your Web search results to produce results pages for you that integrate relevant content from your computer and information from the Web. Your computer's content is not sent to Google without your explicit permission.
- Your copy of Google Desktop includes a unique application number. When you install Google Desktop, this number and a message indicating whether the installation succeeded are sent back to Google. Also, when Google Desktop automatically checks to see if a new version is available, the current version number and the unique application number are sent to Google.
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If you choose to opt in to "Improve Google Desktop" by sending crash reports and non-personal usage data, Google Desktop may collect a limited amount of non-personal information from your computer and send it to Google. This includes summary information, such as the number of searches you do and the time it takes for you to see your results, and application reports we'll use to make the program better.
- If you choose to enable personalized features for a Google-created gadget, Google Desktop may send non-personal usage data to Google in order to provide personalized content, such as personalized news.
- If you choose to enable Search Across Computers, Google will securely transmit copies of your indexed files to Google servers in order to provide the feature. Google treats the contents of your indexed files as personal information in accordance with the Google Privacy Policy.
- If you choose to save gadget settings and content, Google will securely transmit copies of your gadget settings and content to Google servers in order to provide the feature. Google treats the gadget settings and contents of your indexed files as personal information in accordance with the Google Privacy Policy.
Uses
- We use this information to deliver the best possible service to you, such as improving the Google Desktop user experience and providing automatic updates of new versions of Desktop.
Your choices
- You can choose to opt-in to "Improve Google Desktop" during installation and you can change your mind at any time in Desktop Options.
- You can choose to enable personalized features during or after gadget installation. You can change your mind at any time by disabling the gadget’s personalization features if the gadget provides that option, or by removing the gadget.
- You can choose to opt-in to store your content and settings from individual gadgets on Google's servers so that your gadget settings may be backed up and maintained when using different computers.
- Google Desktop includes some functionality which can be set by your administrator. Your administrator may choose to prevent Google from receiving the unique application number associated with your copy of Google Desktop, or the personalized information and aggregate usage data described above.
- If there are any files or other data that you do not want indexed by Google Desktop, there are several ways that you can keep this data from being displayed, copied and indexed, as well as ways to remove it from the index after it has been included. You can see specific instructions on removing items in the Google Desktop Help Center. Similar choices are available for the Search Across Computers feature.
- You can uninstall the Google Desktop software through the "Add or Remove Programs" Control Panel at any time. When you uninstall the software, you can choose to delete the Google Desktop index and its copies of all items. If you choose to delete this information the original files and applications remain unaffected.
- If you cancel your Google Account or uninstall Google Desktop, the files indexed in the Search Across Computers feature will no longer be accessible through Google Desktop and may remain on our servers for up to 10 days before being deleted.
More information
Google adheres to the US Safe Harbor privacy principles. For more information about the Safe Harbor framework or our registration, see the Department of Commerce's web site.
Further information about Google Desktop is available here.
For more information about our privacy practices, go to the full privacy policy. If you have additional questions, please contact us any time. Or write to us at:
Privacy Matters
c/o Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View CA 94043 (USA)
For more information about our privacy practices, go to the full privacy policy. For questions concerning the product or your account, please check out the Google Help page.
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