Secrecy Leads To Integrity Concerns
By Kaitlin Armstrong
Staff Writer
Last year, Google announced that they would be making changes and upgrades to Chrome, the most used browser across the world.
Google promised that Windows would be able to use Chrome in a cleaner and safer way. In the plans, Google would be improving the Chrome Cleanup Tool for Windows users. This would use software from cybersecurity and antivirus company ESET.
“As someone who uses Windows and Chrome, this update could become very beneficial to me,” said Zenas Jones, alumnus. “I produce all of my music on a Windows desktop, with Chrome as my go-to browser, and this could really help ease any fear that I have of an antivirus potentially wiping away all of my work from my desktop.”
Tensions surrounding digital security have declined since the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal. As far as the public knows, individuals feel they should not have a reason to worry because what Google is doing appears much better.
“The Facebook scandal certainly doesn’t help the uneasiness to new security updates,” said Megan Selfridge, junior. “Browsers are supposed to be safe. I hope that this update is put in place with good intentions to help Windows users.”
Google was able to set up this upgrade in a quiet manner. Not many users knew about this update when they decided to update their browser.
The head of Google, Justin Schuh, explained on Twitter that Chrome Cleanup Tool is not really invasive compared to any other cloud antivirus that can scan one’s computer. By scanning an entire computer, these antivirus companies get uploads of a users’ data to their servers.
“This could become very worrisome because as technology advances, I feel that I have less privacy than before,” said Tara Lunsford, sophomore. “It doesn’t seem very professional that Google would allow this update to happen so quietly.”
This seems like a very harmless update but nonetheless has scared users since the initial release. Google is trying to find a way to make users feel safe but perhaps failed to go about the announcement the correct way.
