Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Well don't just stand there, snoopers, come on in!


Privacy--how is it not an issue?

The Inquirer (not the ENquirer, the amusing supermarket tablet) published an article about Google's upcoming privacy changes, which take effect March 1. Several reports claim the majority of Google users are ignorant, which is depressing, but not surprising.

Yes, anywhere from 12 percent (Inquirer) checking the new policy out to 7 out of 8 people NOT checking it, the stats are pretty low when it comes to people caring about who views their information over a multitude of platforms, uses it and packages it in the form of "tailored content"--searches designed specifically relate to your past history.

But when the EU and U.S. attorneys general become concerned, maybe it's time for people to sit up and listen. Claims of violations and fears of invasion of privacy from a number of respected people who actually know how to read that policy junk shouldn't be taken lightly.

So what is happening with the privacy policy? More details can be found here but the basic gist is that the separate privacy policies of Google (Gmail, Youtube, Android, etc etc) will be combined into "one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google," as their overview page states. Well, that's nice but what if someone doesn't want that? 


OK, so John's a woman. But you get the point.


Let's use an example. Say John has a Youtube account, a Gmail account, regularly uses Google in his searches and has an Android phone. Say he also works in a public office where anyone can have access to his computer and, if he's not careful, his email account (if he doesn't log off.) He has to be careful what he searches on Google, because he doesn't want to be caught looking at porn while he's at work. 


But say he loves to look at puppy videos on Youtube when he's at home, or searching for the latest movie trailers starring Sylvester Stallone. Or say he's super lonely and likes to look at pictures of women he can never date. He's not going to be doing anything like that at work (unless he's bored or stupid) and would prefer to keep his work computer as clean as possible. His job depends on it.


Then say he uses his phone to check his banking information while he's at work, because he doesn't want to leave a history of his account number or banking website on his computer. His phone is a nice, personal way to check his account to see if anyone's stolen his identity or to find out if he can take the office to lunch. 


What Google is planning to do is to create a policy that will combine all those separate searches into advertising that will reflect what you're searching for. So now, when John's at work diligently researching the latest accounting trends or shortcuts for Photoshop, he might get ads popping up that show the best places to adopt dogs or cats, where to work out to get buff like Sylvester Stallone, singles dating sites or XXX sites, or banks that have the lowest fees for opening a savings account. Some of that is damming information when you're at work. If Bill happens to pop by the desk and see the ads on the sides of the page, he can deduce quite a number of things about his coworker that he would never have been able to otherwise.


And can I just add that the idea of suggesting search queries is A, not new (as Google seems to suggest--I have tried to search "What happens when you get lost" and have not gotten past "what happens" when the search box is filled in with "What happens when you get pregnant") and B, annoying. Maybe I don't WANT to search Columbus, Ohio just because I recently looked up driving directions to Chicago, maybe I'm interested in Christopher Columbus! Leave me alone and let me do my own searching!


It looks like Google is going ahead as scheduled with its new policy, despite calls from several watchdog groups to delay it. What this means for the EU is up for grabs; I don't live in Europe so I don't really care. But for the millions of people here who use multiple Google services, you better start clearing out your history and preparing separate accounts if you use Google at work and at home. 

2 comments:

  1. Just more Big Brother.....We asked for it and we are getting it. Can't have it both ways.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unfortunately I think you're right. I'd prefer people to butt (but?) out of my life, though.

    ReplyDelete

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