Wednesday, January 29, 2014

GOOGLE CHROME IS WATCHING YOU!





This morning I turned on my computer, selected Microsoft Word and started typing.   About five minutes into my writing my hard drive started to whine and a warning appeared stating: High CPU usage by Google Chrome. My hard drive ran for about three minutes. 

My question is, what is Google Chrome uploading or downloading or looking at inside my computer while I am working off line?

This has happened before.

I have asked this question before.

Is Google Chrome becoming Big Brother?

"In the past no government had the power to keep its citizens under constant surveillance."
1984 - George Orwell

18 comments:

  1. Has it ever done this after the computer has been on awhile or is this when you first turn the machine on?
    Is Chrome set for automatic updates?

    I'm assuming you were on line at the time, have you ever tried unplugging from the internet wen this happens to see if there is a change?

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    1. I don't know if Chrome is set for updates; but this often happens when I am working off line -
      O'B

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  2. Two possible reasons: one is a virus, the other is you've got stuff running in the background you don't need to have running. It can be mind boggling sometimes to see how many different programs that you never actually use can be quietly chugging away on a computer, just kind of idling along eating up CPU space for no good reason.

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    Replies
    1. The High Usage Warning always says Google Chrome.
      O'B

      Delete
  3. I certainly hope this isn't happening ... I just bought a Chromecast thingy

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  4. I swear sometimes I think that someone besides me is using my browser..I know there is a virus that can take over your mouse and send out spam..but this is weird.

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    Replies
    1. I can live with weird; but don't like Google controlling my computer without my knowledge.
      O'B

      Delete
  5. I went and Googled it. There is a way to reduce the CPU usage but I'm not an advanced user so it was all greek to me. However, I did find out that Chrome runs constantly in the background to protect your computer from phishing and malware attacks. It's apparently not supposed to use so much CPU doing it.

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    Replies
    1. I wonder if that is just what they tell the punters: protection from malware and phishing should take place from virus protection programs...I have Norton.
      O'B

      Delete
  6. Your quote from G Orwell is what the ideal is/was. Governments do not need to have sanctioned power. They take and use it based on their perception of self preservation. This has been fact since the notion of government was put into practice back in the day. That a "private" entity has taken liberties with your personal data is nothing but the same thing. Google has entirely too much influence on how the great WWW runs.

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    Replies
    1. But like 1984 we will get use to it and accept it as normal.
      O'B

      Delete
  7. Being watched is so pervasive anymore that I really don't even trip on it. It sucks that this is where the world has gone but Big Brother is here to stay.

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    Replies
    1. Once in a while we should all post something strictly for the NSA to read.
      O'B

      Delete

COMMENT: Ben Franklin said, "I imagine a man must have a good deal of vanity who believes, and a good deal of boldness who affirms, that all doctrines he holds are true, and all he rejects are false."