Google LLC Running in Background on Mac
I was just using my mac, and I noticed that a login item/background item automatically added itself to the list. What is Google LLC? Is this something I should be worried about?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
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I was just using my mac, and I noticed that a login item/background item automatically added itself to the list. What is Google LLC? Is this something I should be worried about?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Well, apparently this is a general issue with a lot of Mac user, so it's not an issue related only to the OP's Mac, so I don't see why everyone should start a separate thread about the same general issue.
The fact of the matter is that Google installed a new login item without the user's specific consent and macOS allowed Google to do that. THIS is the real issue.
Claiming that you gave your consent to this whenever you installed a Google software in the past is nonsense, since this new item was NOT part of the contract back then. So basically Google unilaterally modified the contract, which makes it void.
Moreover, I specifically disallow every single background activity and every single automatic update feature for anything I don't deem important. So, this item was not only installed without my specific consent, it was installed against my specific prohibition (ie. disabling automatic updates).
So, I think that instead of trying to make this a "no biggie" and passing the blame to the user, we should really ask the question WHY macOS even allowed this to happen! On this premise, any other software company could just do whatever they wanted on your Mac and Apple would allow it!
I hope you get my point.
Well, apparently this is a general issue with a lot of Mac user, so it's not an issue related only to the OP's Mac, so I don't see why everyone should start a separate thread about the same general issue.
The fact of the matter is that Google installed a new login item without the user's specific consent and macOS allowed Google to do that. THIS is the real issue.
Claiming that you gave your consent to this whenever you installed a Google software in the past is nonsense, since this new item was NOT part of the contract back then. So basically Google unilaterally modified the contract, which makes it void.
Moreover, I specifically disallow every single background activity and every single automatic update feature for anything I don't deem important. So, this item was not only installed without my specific consent, it was installed against my specific prohibition (ie. disabling automatic updates).
So, I think that instead of trying to make this a "no biggie" and passing the blame to the user, we should really ask the question WHY macOS even allowed this to happen! On this premise, any other software company could just do whatever they wanted on your Mac and Apple would allow it!
I hope you get my point.
I found this answer on the chrome support site. I'm still not 100% sure this is the legit answer, because the answer isn't' from Google themselves, but it's on their forum.
The OP pasted the same image of the two background items ("Google Updated" and "Google LLC") in their question.
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The "Google LLC" login item on MacOS is a feature that allows certain Google software or services to automatically start when you log in to your Mac. This can include items related to Google Drive, Google Chrome, or other Google applications. These login items are set to launch at startup to provide seamless integration with Google services and improve the user experience. Here are answers to your questions:
You can review and modify your login items in your Mac's settings. To do this, go to "System Preferences" > "Users & Groups" > your user account > "Login Items." From there, you can manage which items are allowed to start at login, including those related to Google services.
When governments eventually have the gumption to lock these kinds of CEOs up for a long stretch, this kind of behaviour will reduce and eventually stop. Apple is as complicit as Google in letting these things happen and they should be held accountable too. For too long have these tech types been pushing the boundaries of consent with what they can and can't do with users' machines and data. In many other industries, this would be deemed illegal but the Tech world seems to get away with it because they are allowed to get away with it. Legislation needs bringing in to make them stop behaving like this.
Please let me know if my summary of the answers I've seen is inaccurate:
My questions is: What is the Google LLC login item doing that is different from Google Updater login item, and why did it just show up today?
Has that question been asked and answered?
I don't spend a lot of time in these forums, so I would appreciate any guidance regarding where and how I and others should be asking this question in these forums.
This happened to me too. It added itself without any action on my part, and without any Google crud open, to my knowledge. How can I determine what added it, so that I can remove it with prejudice?
Update:
Ran `sfltool dumpbtm`
#3:
UUID: E3C582DB-F60F-43FA-9A38-2325000511D8
Name: GoogleUpdater
Developer Name: Google LLC
Team Identifier: EQHXZ8M8AV
Type: legacy agent (0x10008)
Disposition: [enabled, disallowed, visible, notified] (9)
Identifier: com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake
URL: file:///Users/<snip>/Library/LaunchAgents/com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake.plist
Executable Path: /Users/<snip>/Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater/Current/GoogleUpdater.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleUpdater
Generation: 2
Parent Identifier: Google LLC
I agree with you, John here seem to be stock on the "you installed google" while we are asking a totally different question that isn't answered with "you agreed with you installed google" as that little on of switch wasn't there then and nor required your authorization and following updates. I think that is why he keeps on answering this "you agreed .... google" answer and the "your question was answer multiple times" because he believes that is the answer. I am not taking it personally but he seems to answer all my messages on this matter so he is my example for this.
I just want to know if this is allowing Google to track me in ways I may not want or doing something else vaguely nefarious.
Google is specifically designed to do that, and they are very good at what they do. Installing Google turns your Mac into a full time information-harvesting and -uploading "bot", rendering most of a Mac's advantages moot.
- unfortunately, I have to have Chrome for one particular application that won't work on Firefox or Safari, but I won't use it for anything else.
Understood. If you like Chrome, consider using Brave instead. Unlike Chrome, Brave does not impose the demands on a Mac that Google requires. Brave works well on Macs. Google works well for... Google. They don't care about your Mac.
John Galt wrote:
I am more than happy to assist anyone, but this Discussion has gone so far off the rails that it is unreasonable to devote personal attention to each and every reply.
The OP's concern was addressed weeks ago, and has presumably been answered to his or her satisfaction.
…
John Galt, the fact that you have stated that the "concern was addressed" does not make it so.
If you feel that you've devoted enough personal attention to this one, I would consider it a gift if you would cease taking part in carrying it ever further "off the rails".
We can see by your many thousands of points that you are eager to "help", and I'm sure there are other places where the rewards would be more satisfying than here. But then again, maybe the whole point is the points? That would explain your continued participation, because you definitely aren't here to help.
Apparently no way to do this, once you install any Google software to your May.
You could try to manually delete the LaunchDaemons Google installs, but I suspect it would just put them back there:
Go to the main /Library/LaunchDaemons folder (not the one in your User folder, but the one in the root folder of your Macintosh HD) and delete any file which has Google in its name :)
Alternatively, just uninstall Chrome and use a browser which is not spying on you. I use Brave Browser and you it even gets rid of the annoying ads on Youtube.
This happened to me too. It added itself without any action on my part, and without any Google crud open, to my knowledge. How can I determine what added it, so that I can remove it with prejudice?
Update:
Ran `sfltool dumpbtm`
#3:
UUID: E3C582DB-F60F-43FA-9A38-2325000511D8
Name: GoogleUpdater
Developer Name: Google LLC
Team Identifier: EQHXZ8M8AV
Type: legacy agent (0x10008)
Disposition: [enabled, disallowed, visible, notified] (9)
Identifier: com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake
URL: file:///Users/<snip>/Library/LaunchAgents/com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake.plist
Executable Path: /Users/<snip>/Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater/Current/GoogleUpdater.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleUpdater
Generation: 2
Parent Identifier: Google LLC
Update 2:
Contents of `com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake.plist` show it's Google Chrome related:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>AbandonProcessGroup</key>
<true/>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake</string>
<key>LimitLoadToSessionType</key>
<string>Aqua</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/Users/<snip>/Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater/Current/GoogleUpdater.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleUpdater</string>
<string>--wake-all</string>
<string>--enable-logging</string>
<string>--vmodule=*/components/update_client/*=2,*/chrome/updater/*=2</string>
</array>
<key>StartInterval</key>
<integer>3600</integer>
</dict>
</plist>
Still not sure how it got installed when I've got Google background services disabled.
If you delete the files, Google will just replace them and automatically enable them, not unlike malware. I've removed read/write permissions to the files. Untested in the long run, but should render them inoperable and unreplaceable:
chmod 000 ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.google.*
What worries me most is that apple allows them to add without user input these kind of things but to remove them you need to input your password, how is it that you need to input your password and they do not need user input to allow this!!!
NEW INFORMATION
After having disabled it weeks ago, I was told once again that the Google LLC background task was added to my login items. I believe I know the reason.
Occasionally I will open up a YouTube video that someone has emailed to me. I use Safari for my email links, not Chrome. In Chrome, I am logged in to my Google account and have decided I am OK with (but not thrilled with) their knowing my preferences. I am not logged in to my Google account in Safari. Popping up a YouTube video in Safari seems to be the time when I find out that Google LLC is back in business.
APPLE: I would appreciate an option that says that I don't want anything in my OS settings messed around with just because something on a web page tries to make it happen. Yes, the notification that something has happened is nice, but please do not follow that old advice, "it is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission." Thanks!
Because Google, like many app developers, wants to load up your Mac with such [autostart?] items to make using them "easier" and thereby more likely to buy into their system.
If you have no aversion to that, and to Google doing things on your computer you're not even aware of, then you have your answer.
Thank you to the people who are giving helpful answers. It's worth it, even after sifting through Grand Marshall John Galt's finger-wagging smugness.
but they do not need it when they change the settings (the settings here changed not that long ago, I have had chrome for way to long) so yeah and no. Your answer doesnt do justice to what I said. Apple should require your password when these settings get change by them without any notification at the time. Just like when you are to remove them from it
Google LLC Running in Background on Mac