Turn Off Google Safe-Search

[exwintech]

This might have been solved elsewhere, but I couldn't find that by using Forum Search...

The problem is - Google's Safe-Search mode. In theory, that has an "Off", a "Moderate", and a "Strict" level.

However - whatever I do - delete Recents, delete Cookies and re-enable Cookies, so on - if one goes to the Prefs Google page - and moves the Slider for Safe Search hard-left, to "Off" - then "Saves" - and a popup-box indeed says prefs have been saved - then return to the standard page - then look at the Search page - Safe Search has returned to "Moderate".

That doesn't just filter "porno" - it filters videos where Gladiators are clad from the waist-down, but who aren't wearing "Religious Modesty Shirts" on their upper bodies, news sites where part of the text says "....naked violence...", or similar - and news sites The Corporations don't like - *.info, *.rt, *.ir, and others...

This is cross-platform - and seems to relate to more recent versions of several browsers, including FF.

Until a few weeks back, I was using KDE3.5 - and a much earlier version of FF. Turning Safe-Search off was no problem at all.... That older version Prefs page had the 3 Safe-Search options on 3 separate lines, with check-boxes on the left. Ticking "Off" - and Save Prefs resulted in the standard page showing "Safe Search is Off" at the right of the centre field.

The current Prefs page has a silly slider with "Off" - "Moderate" - "Strict" - at left, centre and right.

I doubt that it's a system or user problem - the older setup worked perfectly for years...  In Yahoo - the Safe Search mode turns "Off" and stays Off. So apparently not a cookies or setup problem with Google.

Any ideas? Any way to go back to Firefox-3.x? Or - just make the home-page Yahoo - and hope that Google gets over these nonsenses in a year-or-three...?

Regards, Dave.

[ternor]

I see the same result on the preferences page.  When I use "advanced search," however, "safe search" is off.

[exwintech]

Terry - This is also affecting Winders and Mac users, using several different browsers. Also friends here in Sydney using XP-Pro SP3. Annoys my teenage godson, who for some reason likes pix of ladies who can't afford adequate clothing....

Cross-verified by my XP-Pro install in V-Box in PCLOS - it's doing the same thing.

As you might recall, until going to this new PC a few weeks back, and the current PCLOS and KDE4.x (to get the current Kdenlive, RawTherapee, so on) - I was using the previous PCLOS with KDE-3.5 and a much older version of FireFox - which combo had no problems whatever with turning Google Safe-Search OFF.

I doubt that it has anything to do with "current" PCLOS or the "so-charming" KDE4.x - it's cross-platform, and seems to do the same "auto default to Moderate Safe-Search" with several browsers.

It has to be something Google is doing - it doesn't happen with Yahoo or AltaVista.

As Linux has more and better Options, Choices, Settings and Functions, than the other systems - I was hoping that some of the very cluey OpenSource folk would have discovered or invented a workaround for it...

For now, I can use Yahoo Search - as that is holding its Search Direct OFF, Safe Search OFF, and Search Scan ("dangerous sites warning") OFF, settings.

As an example of what's happening - I tried to Google latest "news" about a certain country in the news recently - and indeed Google did show a lot of results - but none from that country's "official" news (propaganda) network. The same Search in Yahoo had PressTV come up as the 5th return. I do like to look at what "all sides" are saying re events - and if PressTV's "news" is a little like a modern version of the "Goon Show" - I don't mind having a bit of a laugh, either.... At least I know what they're saying....   

Regards, Dave.

[Just17]

Maybe someone here could check this ........  it seems to me that Google is not saving the cookie it should be saving to have the user setting be persistent.

If that is the case then it seems to be a Google problem.

Maybe someone could check this idea .......

[Old-Polack]

Maybe someone here could check this ........  it seems to me that Google is not saving the cookie it should be saving to have the user setting be persistent.

If that is the case then it seems to be a Google problem.

Maybe someone could check this idea .......

So glad you volunteered. Thanks a bunch! 

[Just17]

Maybe someone here could check this ........  it seems to me that Google is not saving the cookie it should be saving to have the user setting be persistent.

If that is the case then it seems to be a Google problem.

Maybe someone could check this idea .......

So glad you volunteered. Thanks a bunch! 

from looking here ....  in my very limited way .....  that is what it seems like ......  glad to note you have the interest to jump in and check on your end too 

[Old-Polack]

Maybe someone here could check this ........  it seems to me that Google is not saving the cookie it should be saving to have the user setting be persistent.

If that is the case then it seems to be a Google problem.

Maybe someone could check this idea .......

So glad you volunteered. Thanks a bunch! 

from looking here ....  in my very limited way .....  that is what it seems like ......  glad to note you have the interest to jump in and check on your end too 

Shirley, you jest!  You must have mistaken me for someone who actually gives a $&*%. 

[Just17]

Oh I reckon now that you posted in the thread something has to give    Shirley or not   

[ElCuervo]

A Google search turns up thousands of angry people that can't get to their pron because of this "feature"... and Google's response is "meh".

Stuff like this and the Chrome tabs-on-top-and-if-you-don't-like-it-suck-it attitude tick me off at Google more than the invasion of my privacy... but then, I guess that's what this is, too. 

[ternor]

I've always believed this to be a problem caused by Google but there seems to be no way of reporting the problem.  People have also had problems getting the preference for number of results per page changed.  It helped (IIRC) to switch instant search off, which I am quite happy to do.  Time to try out other search engines.

[ternor]

There is a search engine called "Google SSL (no filtering)" on Mycroft.

[exwintech]

Seems that Google realises its failings and wants users to change models....

Regards, Dave....


By exwintech at 2012-01-21

[ElCuervo]

Seems that Google realises its failings and wants users to change models....

Regards, Dave....

Safesearch behaves just as stupidly in Chrome. Plus you get the added treat I mentioned earlier, no way to move tabs below the address bar, along with Google's snotty attitude about it.

http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=44106#c59

I like Chromium very much, but that tab thing started driving me nuts. It has also driven me back to Firefox, which I find much improved in the latest version.

[parnote]

Safesearch behaves just as stupidly in Chrome. Plus you get the added treat I mentioned earlier, no way to move tabs below the address bar, along with Google's snotty attitude about it.

What? Google snotty?? Surely you jest! 

[ElCuervo]

Safesearch behaves just as stupidly in Chrome. Plus you get the added treat I mentioned earlier, no way to move tabs below the address bar, along with Google's snotty attitude about it.

What? Google snotty?? Surely you jest! 

I never jest about our alien overlords.