Thursday
Mar012012
What does Google's new Privacy Policy REALLY mean?
Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 8:19AM
In a nutshell...nothing new. Don't get worked up about all the link bait. The headlines that say things like "Google's new policy means the end of privacy." Because they are just there to get to to click a link and read their article. Why? so that you will see the ads on their website and make them money. Which makes those people no better than Google or anyone else.
You need to understand that for most web companies, their product is you! They make their money by advertising to you. Thats why you can use google, Gmail, YouTube, Facebook, etc. for free. When they can tell an advertiser they can show their ad to people with kids, or people over 65 or people who have dentures, or people with a certain health problem then that advertising with worth much more. To do this need to know about you. If you use gmail and are logged in and search for kids toys or what is the best brand of diaper then they know you have kids and that helps them sell ads. And lets face it if your a 50 year old man, wouldnt you rather see ads for a new car, vacation or viagra and not see ads for kids toys and diapers? This form of targeted advertising is good! It puts ads for things you might actually be interested in on your screen and keeps the things you would not want away.
Secondly you need to understand that they really dont know WHO you are. They collect information on your search habits or the things you write online but associate it with you as an account number. They don't want to log your social security number and blood type. They don't want to piss off their customers. If they did that why would you ever come back? They might also open them selves up to legal issues. Your just a statistic. A person who fits in a specific category like Men over 50 who have prostate problems.
Now as for Google's recent change that takes effect March 1, 2012. Google owns Gmail, Google search, Google+, YouTube and a bunch of other companies and services each of which until now has had a whole privacy policy written for each one that you agreed to (Yes you did!) when you joined. Its just like the rental car agreement you never read, or the agreement for the license on that new computer software that you would never spend 30 minutes reading before clicking "Agree". Google just made all their services have one uniform agreement and by using any of Google's services you now agree that the data from all of them will be kept together instead of them keeping several separate databases of information. This just makes it easier for them and allows them to have a single more detailed source of information on you and your online habits.
I don't feel this is a bad thing at all. Some people say things like if you search for medications and Google knows this, then when you search for life insurance, they might know things like that health problems you have and then the insurance company would give you a higher rate. I am not a lawyer but I don't think right now anyone would get away with that. Now its true the government might have legal reason to get this information and if your searching for ways to build a bomb they might use it against you but in my opinion that's a very good thing.
Lastly, you dont have to use any of these services. Close your facebook account, they are giving it to you free anyway. When searching online, make sure your not logged into your Google account first or use Private Browsing mode, all web browsers have them. Also, join the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation). They are the best ones our there who support keeping the internet free, safe and watching our for your best interests.
Most importantly, don't panic. This is the way the internet works. It connects everyone around the world instantly. Which means information is everywhere and if your a very private person (which you have a absolute right to be) then you have to understand the internet is about sharing information and if you type it online somewhere, assume its not private any more.
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You need to understand that for most web companies, their product is you! They make their money by advertising to you. Thats why you can use google, Gmail, YouTube, Facebook, etc. for free. When they can tell an advertiser they can show their ad to people with kids, or people over 65 or people who have dentures, or people with a certain health problem then that advertising with worth much more. To do this need to know about you. If you use gmail and are logged in and search for kids toys or what is the best brand of diaper then they know you have kids and that helps them sell ads. And lets face it if your a 50 year old man, wouldnt you rather see ads for a new car, vacation or viagra and not see ads for kids toys and diapers? This form of targeted advertising is good! It puts ads for things you might actually be interested in on your screen and keeps the things you would not want away.
Secondly you need to understand that they really dont know WHO you are. They collect information on your search habits or the things you write online but associate it with you as an account number. They don't want to log your social security number and blood type. They don't want to piss off their customers. If they did that why would you ever come back? They might also open them selves up to legal issues. Your just a statistic. A person who fits in a specific category like Men over 50 who have prostate problems.
Now as for Google's recent change that takes effect March 1, 2012. Google owns Gmail, Google search, Google+, YouTube and a bunch of other companies and services each of which until now has had a whole privacy policy written for each one that you agreed to (Yes you did!) when you joined. Its just like the rental car agreement you never read, or the agreement for the license on that new computer software that you would never spend 30 minutes reading before clicking "Agree". Google just made all their services have one uniform agreement and by using any of Google's services you now agree that the data from all of them will be kept together instead of them keeping several separate databases of information. This just makes it easier for them and allows them to have a single more detailed source of information on you and your online habits.
I don't feel this is a bad thing at all. Some people say things like if you search for medications and Google knows this, then when you search for life insurance, they might know things like that health problems you have and then the insurance company would give you a higher rate. I am not a lawyer but I don't think right now anyone would get away with that. Now its true the government might have legal reason to get this information and if your searching for ways to build a bomb they might use it against you but in my opinion that's a very good thing.
Lastly, you dont have to use any of these services. Close your facebook account, they are giving it to you free anyway. When searching online, make sure your not logged into your Google account first or use Private Browsing mode, all web browsers have them. Also, join the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation). They are the best ones our there who support keeping the internet free, safe and watching our for your best interests.
Most importantly, don't panic. This is the way the internet works. It connects everyone around the world instantly. Which means information is everywhere and if your a very private person (which you have a absolute right to be) then you have to understand the internet is about sharing information and if you type it online somewhere, assume its not private any more.
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Reader Comments (1)
I was also puzzled with that. What do they want to impose by that. I think it doesn't affect that much.