In computing, web search history is a list of web pages the user recently visited - and related data such as page titles and visit times - recorded by the web browser software as the standard for a certain time period. Web browser software does this to provide users with back buttons and history lists to return to pages they've visited before and show visited links (usually by purple) rather than relying on users to remember where they are on the web.
In addition to the web browser software itself, third-party services may also record the user's web search history (wholly or partially). For example, in Google Web History, registered users clicks are recorded and stored in individual user history, each may be crawled and searched by the user (this is in addition to tracking Google's click records for its own internal purposes, such as ad click tracking). If a user installs the Google Toolbar, any pages that a user visits while logging in to Google on that computer can be recorded as well. The potential benefit for users is that they can review - and browse - all their web browsing history on any computer, but this can have privacy implications.
Video Web browsing history
Privacy
Web search history is not publicly published anywhere publicly by default, whether users are using their own browser history function or third-party services, as this will have major negative privacy implications and will negatively reflect the reputation of the software or service providers doing the thing like that.
Users may want to clear their browsing history data or stop it being collected (at least temporarily). They may want or need to do this to try and avoid others who have full access to the computers they use (such as their parents, spouses, or managers, or law enforcement officers) see confidential information about the websites they have visited.
However, this alone will not always provide users with adequate privacy. Other factors may need to be considered, depending on user requirements. These factors include web browser cache content, data encryption sent over the network, and anonymity/traceability of the user's network connection.
A means that allows users to stop the page being recorded, and delete the recording of previously browsed pages, depending on the product used. If users use third-party products that can record searches like Google Search (see above), it may be necessary to delete or stop the collection of history in many places (such as in browsers and in Google Search settings).
Privacy saved history data
Privacy on computer systems is closely related to computer security: as long as computer systems can be hacked realistically, the confidentiality of the information stored therein is compromised. Even when the computer system is well programmed and contains little or no security bugs, security is only as strong as "the weakest link in the chain" (ie the easiest part of the system to hack). This weakest link may be - and often - something under user control, like a password.
If a user has not turned off Google's web history collection, and has the Google Account they use, selecting a strong password for that account is important to prevent hackers from gaining access to confidential data. This is even important when the user has disabled it, because hackers can not stop collecting Web History data without paying attention to users.)
Similarly, if users have not cleared their web browser history and have a secret site listed there, they may want to use strong passwords or other authentication solutions for their user accounts on their computers, protect computers with passwords when not in use, or encrypt storage media where the web browser stores its history information..
Maps Web browsing history
Recommended comparison
The new web browser announced in January 2016, Brave, intends to analyze search history to target internet advertising to its users.
See also
- Computer forensics
- Anti-computer forensics
- Social bookmark
- Web annotations
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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