google drive loaded to my PC

spyware? knowledgable kind soul help me understand

from Elemental Forums
I just upgraded flash player to allow amazon movie views to work on my PC. It downloaded a program that had to be 'activated' to actually install flash-player. OK. Cool. BUT> It also downloaded and installed, without asking me, "google drive." I've binged 'google drive' and it seems to be an instant, over the web, way to access all sorts of stuff on my PC from other places. I don't want / need this particular functionality. Further, given web corps insatiable hunger for data about 'people,' (like me, you, 'friends' yada,) I'm uncomfortable having this very large 'google drive' on my PC when I don't know, can't find out, its info gathering functionality. Short version> I don't trust google not to use this g-drive to gather info on my use of web resources and 'sell/trade' this info to other incorporated creatures (err. persons). Anyone know what it really does 'under the hood?'
19,638 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Where did you download this Flash update from?

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top
From the link at amazon com that insisted i use flash instead of silverlight. I will check an see if I can get the exact link.... brb thx
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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Island, reply 1

Where did you download this Flash update from?
End of Island's quote
 

 

edit: 

http://aihdownload.adobe.com/bin/livebeta/install_flashplayer11x32_gdra_aaa_aih.exe

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Happened to me too, but I was installing something else..... I immediately removed it via control panel and then ran CCleaner. I think it's a bloody liberty, as I couldn't find a way to install my program WITHOUT installing Google Drive!

I'm always very cautious about installing software, and usually nothing gets by me......... B[]

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I think I may have been installing the latest version of Google Earth when I had just Upgraded to Windows 8........ 

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Revo uninstaller took it out clean.  Apparently google drive did not access registry, etc.  Nice its an easy program to eliminate!

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

that happened because you clicked a direct link to an installer.

Flash always wants to install something extra, be it Chrome, McAfee or Google Drive. it's opt-out if you visit the Flash download site at Adobe.com. 

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

It's like Dropbox but there are a lot more privacy concerns because it is Google. I use it as well as Gmail Virtual Drive which will automatically upload and store whatever i put in it to my gmail account. I've had no issues with either, just go through and make the adjustments on the privacy settings to your ;liking. Between Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, and most recently Tresorit (where I got 50GB of FREE storage), there are some great options for cloud usage.

AnyVideoConverter recently jumped me like that with an installation of the AVG toolbar. When I emailed them about it, because it was a bitch to remove, they were cool enough to apologize AND send me a free PRO version of the software, which i thought was pretty damn cool of them.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Was it them or the site you dl'd from, Po?

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 9
Was it them or the site you dl'd from, Po?
End of DrJBHL's quote

I think I had downloaded it through FileHippo but AVC acknowledged the issue and was very gracious about it.