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For years, hackers have turned the Internet into a never-ending game of " malware roulette," with virtually any web site running the risk of being compromised. In an effort to make the online community a safer place for everyone, Google has ... integrated a new self-identification feature into its search engine to inform users when a website poses a threat. Compromised Websites Weeded Out from Google Search Google created the feature with the average Internet user in mind. If the search engine detects that a website has been altered by a third party, it will display the following message: " ... (view more)

A recent Wall Street Journal report has revealed that some popular mobile apps have been sending personal data of their users to third parties without consent. A whopping 56 applications using the Apple iPhone and Google Android systems were found ... guilty of such practices. In a recent statement, Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, was outraged with such activity. Founded in 2009, Big Brother Watch is a British-based group dedicated to combating intrusions of privacy and protecting civil liberties. Personal Info Breach "Alarming News" "This is alarming news. Most users of ... (view more)

It seems most people don't need Google to look up their favorite social networking web site. According to a recent report, Facebook has surpassed the search giant's main site as the most-visited web page in the United States for 2010. The report ... comes courtesy of industry analysts at Experian Hitwise, which finds that in the past year Facebook eclipsed both Google and Yahoo in popularity. Of all visits to web sites made by American Internet users this past year (at least, between January and November), 8.9 per cent were associated with Facebook. By comparison, 7.2 per cent of website visits ... (view more)

Google's Chrome operating system (OS) took one step closer to wider release recently when the company announced it had begun shipping netbooks equipped with the operating system to selected beta testers. But despite reports (mostly from Google) that ... Chrome will trump Windows' speed and security features, at least one analyst says there's nothing for Microsoft to fear just yet. In a presentation to announce Chrome OS' move toward more rigorous testing, Google CEO Eric Schmidt pointed to the operating system's faster startup and installation times, in addition to impressive security features, ... (view more)

According to security firm Armorize Technologies, both Google and Microsoft ad systems recently linked to web sites containing malicious software. Once an infected link is clicked, Internet Explorer automatically installs bogus software that claims ... the user's PC is infected, requiring payment to remove the alleged problems. Santa Clara based security firm Armorize Technologies says that the bogus links appeared on banner ads provided through DoubleClick (owned by Google) and MSN (Microsoft). The ads did not appear on Google or Bing's search results pages, but rather on third-party websites ... (view more)

Google's Chrome OS (operating system) moved one step closer to wider release on Tuesday. At a press conference in San Francisco, Google CEO Eric Schmidt revealed the company's new pilot program for the OS along with a Chrome Web Store for purchasing ... applications. "With Chrome OS, we have the development of a viable third choice for the desktop," announced Schmidt, referring to the widespread use to this point of Microsoft's ubiquitous Windows and Apple's cult-favorite Mac OS. He apparently thought Linux not worth mentioning. (Source: informationweek.com ) Chrome OS Summer 2011 Release Rumored ... (view more)

The owner of an online eyeglasses store has been charged with making electronic threats to disappointed customers. However, in doing so, Vitaly Borker believes the threats actually helped to boost the site's position in Google search rankings, and ... thus bring more traffic to his website. Borker, who operates decormyeyes.com, has been charged with four offenses: cyberstalking, making interstate threats, mail fraud and wire fraud. In at least one case, he is accused both of delivering a counterfeit pair of "designer" spectacles and vastly overcharging the customer. When the New York Times ... (view more)

There are plenty of rumors about the final release date for Google's Chrome operating system (OS), but that hasn't stopped the search giant from touting its wide-ranging applications. In a recent report, a Google executive boasts that most ... businesses could easily switch out Windows in favor of Chrome OS once the final version is released to the public. Chrome OS Stripped Down, Simplified Google's upcoming Chrome operating system is designed to be a stripped-down and simplified operating system that competes directly with Microsoft's Windows and Apple's Leopard. Few industry insiders have a ... (view more)

Recently leaked US State department documents make the strongest claims yet that the Chinese government was behind attacks on Google systems late last year. The claims appear in a collection of 250,000 cables: confidential messages between the State ... department and the various United States consulates and embassies around the world. The collection appears on the controversial Wikileaks.org site, which publishes a wide variety of leaked material relating to many countries and from many sources, but has hit the headlines with large-scale leaks relating to military conflicts in Iraq and ... (view more)

Google plans to bar other companies from accessing information in its Gmail service, even with user permission. There's suspicion the scheme is designed to increase competition between Google and social media services such as Facebook. Facebook is ... actually one the best examples of how the change will apply in action. At the moment, when a new user signs up to the site, Facebook asks if they want to import their contacts list from their email account. If they do so, Facebook then cross-references this list, finds anyone who is already on Facebook, and asks if the user wants to add them as an ... (view more)