A new browser-based privacy tool called Protected Search rolls out today, just in time to greet the “new” Google. According to polls, you probably don’t know that Google’s new privacy policy goes into effect today. But you’re a smart Marketplace Tech Report follower, so you know the score. Basically, Google is consolidating the contracts for most of its services – YouTube, Maps, Gmail, G+, and all the rest, so instead of each service tracking you individually, they will now share that tracking information and build a more complete profile of you (to sell more ads). There are lots of helpful “how-to’s” out there that can help you manage your privacy settings. Protected Search helps in that process. It anonymizes your information while you browse. So for example, if you searched for “Brahms” then mapped a route to your local concert hall, you wouldn’t get ads from the symphony asking if you wanted to be a season ticket holder. For now it only works on the Firefox browser, but it will be available soon on others.
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