http://desktop.google.com/?promo=rpp-gds-en-uk-5

The idea of Google knowing what’s on my computer, my complete web history and the content of my emails is sinister. They are not offering this service from any altruistic motive, they are a company that makes money. So what will they do with the information they harvest from my computer? Who can have access to it – commercial organisations or governments? MI5 (British Military Intelligence) and other national security agencies must love this. Despite Google’s assertion that they respect privacy I am not convinced. They have already demonstrated that they will co-operate with totalitarian governments to censor and restrict Internet access to further the interests of their shareholders so basically I don’t trust them.

Update: Google desktop ceased to be in September 2011