Using seo tools like link popularity checkers harm?

Can those hurt your sites?

[silverbytes]

I saw many intersting tools that queries your position on yahoo, msn and google. Others tells you your link popularity and your competitors.

Is using those tools safe?
I've heard that google and others don't linke those and most of those ask you your google API in initial registration.

Digital Point has some like Search Engine Back Link Tracking Utility & Backlink Tracker Tool

What do you say?

[dfud]

I've been using link popularity, ranking checkers and other SEO tools for years. As far as I know it has not had any negative impact. I believe all of the popular ranking checkers use random timing between queries to emulate human use.

[silverbytes]

Makes sense. If harm, competitors would use against you...