Google toolbar will only act as spyware if you allow it to send ‘anonymous’ information to google if you check that option during install. Regardless of what you allow though, the toolbar will check its mothersite for newer versions. You only have their word that they are not collecting data..What it will do however is when you uninstall, it leaves keys in the registry that point to the original install - including the application dll. Although its a stretch (the concept of it happening that is), since the app dll and ‘select’ registry keys remain, the application or some form of it could be ‘enabled’ remotely without you knowing.
2 interesting side notes. The exception list (or whitelist - in googles case) remains in the registry too, so if you decide to reinstall later, you dont lose your ‘banned list’
Ad-Aware and Spybot mark google toolbar as spyware (because it is by design) and will kill it - even if you really want to keep it. So remember to add google toolbar to the exception list should you choose to run those apps.
Unfortunately, spyware and popups are here to stay. Its the internets form of commercials...you can only hope to avoid as many as possible
