Google and Mint

[Mohr]

Linux Mint Paketaktualisierung.png (29.15 KiB) Viewed 547 times

Linux Mint Paketaktualisierung google.com.png (28.18 KiB) Viewed 547 times

I am new to Mint. I am very pleased about the Debian version because my intention is to leave Ubuntu behind for it's new "feature" the "Amazon Lense". Which many, many people find much too intrusive. Expect more and more ol' ubuntu's to come here.

But it's not for no reason that my first post appears here.

I have found not only a completely unexplained Firefox-addon "Mint search enhancer" installed with Mint, but also mentioned google in the update mechanisms of Mint at least two more times. See pics.

What's the meaning of this?
Why is the default of softwareupdates-checking "15 min" and why is "Check connection" linked to google.com? This means that google.com continuesly gets my IP and more, every 15 min, when I am online?

[viking777]

Moved here by moderator - the post you attached it to is over 2 years out of date.

Ref, Amazon Lens - switch it off then it is not intrusive at all (settings, privacy) or you can even remove it altogether (unity-lens-shopping).

As I understand it Mint search enhancer makes money for Linux Mint which is why it is there (they don't make money, you don't get a distro) and as regards the google.com this is a ping address to see if your internet connection is live, if you don't like google, change the address to something else (though it must accept pings).

[bigbenaugust]

But the default search engine in LMDE (at least in Firefox) is DuckDuckGo and not Google. DuckDuckGo uses https by default and does not track.

[Mohr]

Thank you for the answers.

I know you can manipulate every Linux. Sure you can switch off the Amazon-Lens.
But I cannot trust Shuttleworth anymore because he doesn't realize what he is doing to privacy.

So with Linux Mint default settings Google does not only get informed somehow (?!) about my searches, but also gets my IP every 15 mins. IPs are unique. Often during a whole day. And if it's connected to your searches or even your System and the bunch of info that a browser delivers to Google (even a "fingerprint"-data) they can spy on you a lot whenever they want.

Thanks for the hint to Linux Mint Debian and Duck-Duck-Go.
I heard about Duck-Duck-Go but I am reluctant as long as I do not understand why he asks me to turn on JavaScript? It works also without JavaScript but everytime he asks me to switch it on. What does he need it for? Thats kind of dubious.

And even worse: Google.com does not get my 15 min - ping only when I am online. It gets it always.