Yahoo/Google toolbar: Permanent opt-out?

During the installation/upgrade of some popular software products like Java or Adobe Flash Player/Reader the 3rd-party Yahoo or Google browser toolbars are offered to the user. There is a checkbox to opt-in and it is turned on by default. Is it possible to turn off this default setting for all future installations?

I know too many people which have these browser toolbars installed (on their private laptop/PC) without ever using them and it just clutters their browser's GUI.

knweiss

Posted 2010-01-27T17:06:48.063

Reputation: 1 636

"just clutters their browser's GUI." ... and tracks their browsing habits: http://www.pcworld.com/article/187670/google_toolbar_tracks_some_browsing_even_when_its_not_supposed_to.html

– eleven81 – 2010-01-27T17:13:13.150

Answers

Nope, and it is not in their interests to as they won't get any money.

You are down to two options.

The first (recommended) one would be to use an alternate installer such as Ninite which will not install any addons.

The second way which should work, but may cause problems (so I can't really recommend) is to create a Google Folder, in program files, or where ever the toolbar gets installed to and set the permissions to everyone-deny, this should make any installation of the toolbar simply fail.

There just isn't a overall permanent opt-out.

William Hilsum

Posted 2010-01-27T17:06:48.063

Reputation: 111 572