This is a screenshot of my quirky browser (it has a Mario skin) with the built in Google Toolbar auto-suggesting items for which I might be searching.
Note that kissing, making out, and growing weed are in these top ten "how to" suggestions. I suspect the first two are a result of pre-teens increased internet usage to solve their every need. As for growing weed... that's kind of funny, since it's illegal here and all. Good for them not censoring that. I wonder if Google filters their "suggestions." I just tried sex, f***, porn, and pornography and only got suggestions for sex, which were rather tame. I just tried changing my Safe Search settings (which had been on moderate - I don't need porn popping up all the time) and none of the queries had their suggestions changed.
It's amazing to think of the power Google has over us, to suggest, censor, or filter so many of our everyday activities. I do hope that Google continues to be a proponent and creator of Open Source software and that it gives us a chance to eliminate any doubts about freedoms lost or if we have lost something, to reclaim it.
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