Google LLC Running in Background on Mac

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.

Please let me know if my summary of the answers I've seen is inaccurate:

• You gave Google permission, so it's not mysterious
• If you don't like Google having this level of permissions, uninstall Google apps

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.

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:

1. What is Google LLC login item? The Google LLC login item is essentially a mechanism that enables Google-related services or applications to start when you log in to your Mac. It's a convenience feature that allows for quicker access to Google services and applications.
2. What is it doing? The specific actions of the Google LLC login item may vary depending on the Google services or applications you have installed. For example, if you have Google Drive installed, the login item might be related to syncing files to your Google Drive account. In the case of Google Chrome, it could be for updating the browser or maintaining browser-related settings.
3. How is it functionally different from Google Updater? Google LLC login items and Google Updater serve different purposes. Google LLC login items are related to the behavior of Google services or applications upon logging in to your Mac. They ensure that specific Google-related functionality is readily available. Google Updater, on the other hand, is primarily responsible for keeping Google software up to date. It checks for updates and installs them, ensuring that you're using the latest version of Google software.
4. Why is it able to install itself in my login items without any authentication or opt-in action on my part? Google software often adds these login items as part of its installation process to enhance user experience and convenience. However, the exact behavior can vary depending on the software or the installation method. Sometimes, Google software might automatically add these items to startup without requiring explicit user consent. This is typically done to ensure that users have a seamless experience, but it can be adjusted in your Mac's settings.

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.

https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/243035925/what-is-the-google-llc-login-item-on-macos-and-what-is-it-doing?hl=en

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.

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.

• "You gave Google permission, so it's not mysterious. " no, I installed it once, then update it since. My contract with google doesn't exempt apple from notifying me when something is added to the start, in fact, apple requires me to add my password to remove it, so why wouldn't do the same for the adding it, this seems stupid on my part.
• "If you don't like Google having this level of permissions, uninstall Google apps" well that is a solution to a ... jk, that isn't a solution. The solution would be apple to require authorization from the user to add it again not to remove the application, otherwise why would apple be saying they are on the consumer side of privacy and then let the application add itself over and over without your password prompt. This again, is stupid and a nonsense. My work place has google as the default browser, required, because of the many issues using from pc users using IE and mac users using safari. Again, your solution, isn't one, or at least isn't one that fits all. Maybe it fits your case scenario, but most of us do not find it useful. They feel to me more of a "pro mac" or "against google" rant to me

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.

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.

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.

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!!!

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

It's in the Terms of Service (TOS)

I'll wager that somewhere in the voluminous TOS document we all scroll through when we install Chrome, we agreed to allow Google to do these things.

Unfortunately, I use my Mac for work and the company's default browser is Chrome. More and more, I experience websites that don't function properly on Safari (or even MS Edge). You MUST be running Chrome. It's like the earlier days of US and state government (and higher education) sites requiring Internet Explorer to function properly, even while the US government was suing Microsoft for monopolistic practices. So, I have to have Chrome installed.