New Google privacy policy combines

user data from all Google services

Search Engine Watch

Has Google gone too far to the dark side?

“Google’s new privacy announcement is frustrating and a little frightening,” Common Sense Media chief executive James Steyer told the Washington Post. “Even if the company believes that tracking users across all platforms improves their services, consumers should still have the option to opt out — especially the kids and teens who are avid users of YouTube, Gmail and Google Search.”

Note to Mr. Steyer: they do have the right to opt out. It’s called using another website or not signing in.

“There is no way anyone expected this,” Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a privacy advocacy group, also told the Washington Post. “There is no way a user can comprehend the implication of Google collecting across platforms for information about your health, political opinions and financial concerns.”

Calm down. There are numerous free alternatives for search engines, email, video, maps, and other products Google offers. Or, maybe, you could make two or three different Google accounts if you're so worried or you simply don't want to transfer data from one service to another.

Will Google Cross the (Creepy) Line?

Creepy? Sure. But this is from a company that, according to Schmidt, “is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it.”

It wasn’t too long ago that the FTC said Google violated its privacy policies when it launched Google Buzz “by using information provided for Gmail for another purpose - social networking - without obtaining consumers’ permission in advance.” That can’t be said anymore. Google is telling everyone when they sign up that any information they submit to Google while logged in can be used with other Google services.

Perhaps the real creepy factor you should be worried about is Google’s growing relationship with the government. There’s also the question of what happens if your unified Google account gets hacked.

Again, however, Google is optional. You may leave at any time and choose not to put all your eggs in their basket.

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Google facing criticism

over relationship with US government

TG Daily

Don’t be evil. Google claims that’s their company motto but consumer and taxpayer advocacy group, Consumer Watchdog has accused the Internet giant of committing misdeeds last week.

According to redOrbit.com it started last Monday when Consumer Watchdog debuted an animated satirical video on the streets of Washington DC, called “Mr. Schmidt Goes to Washington”. The video was displayed on a mobile video screen attached to a truck and it is part of the case for why the group thinks Congress should call Google CEO Eric Schmidt to testify under oath.
   
The video shows Google’s CEO testifying before Congress using real-life, creepy quotes from Schmidt about privacy. Consumer Watchdog believes that he should have to answer questions about the Wi-Spy controversy and other privacy issues, and they also said the company’s close ties to the National Security Agency should be investigated.
   
The group sent a letter out last Monday pleading with Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA), the new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, to examine the nature of the relationships between Google and several government agencies.
   
In their letter, the group asks Issa to investigate contracts at many US agencies for Google technology and services, the “secretive” partnership between Google and the NSA, and the company’s use of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration airfield in California.
   
They also say in the letter that federal agencies have taken “insufficient” action in response to admissions last year that Google Street View cars were gathering data from open Wi-Fi connections they passed, Consumer Watchdog said in the letter.
   
“We believe Google has inappropriately benefited from close ties to the administration,” they said in the letter. “Google is most consumers' gateway to the Internet. Nonetheless, it should not get special treatment and access because of a special relationship with the administration.”
   
Consumer Watchdog might have some luck with Issa. In July, he mailed a letter to Google where he raised concerns that White House Deputy Chief Technology Officer Andrew McLaughlin, former chief of global public policy for Google, had improper email communication with company workers.

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