Backlash Over Google's New Privacy Settings

[TheMailMan78]

Analysts from all over the world are questioning Google's new privacy settings being implemented on March 1. Google is going to be tying its services closer together then before by allowing the privacy setting to be shared across services.

By doing this It will also be able to implement a new search for registered users. Google has stated,"If you're signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries, or tailor your search results, based on the interests you've expressed in Google+, Gmail and YouTube" the firm said.

Critics like the UK's Information Commissioner's Office warned that any changes must be communicated to users. They are quoted as saying, "It is important that technology companies, such as Google, are aware of the privacy concerns that exist when behavioral advertising is used to target particular content at individuals. Failure to inform users about changes may not only lead to a loss of trust in the company, but could also mean that they are failing to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act," it warned.

Other critics question the move as purely financial being individual searches are a valuable commodity to advertisers. However Google maintains the stance its change in its privacy rules are to improve the customers experience by streamlining its settings across all of its services and improved searches.



Source: BBC

[_JP_]

I think Google only wants to promote Google+ even further. I guess they found out the only way they could do it effectively was to shove it down the user's throats. But that's just me.

[to6ko91]

i dont mind being seen as a single user on all google services so I see no harm in google sharing information between its services as long as this information stays with in google

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Originally Posted by to6ko91

i dont mind being seen as a single user on all google services so I see no harm in google sharing information between its services as long as this information stays with in google

This. And im usually never signed into Google anyway.

[caleb]

The thing that scares me is that I give them rights to all my email.

Your Content in our Services

Some of our Services allow you to submit content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services, and to develop new ones

Which means that google can take pictures from my mailbox put in on a billboard and say HELLO WORLD and I can't do nothing about it.

[micropage7]

first i guess google want to make their products as a unity.
search engine award in their hand and our world cant be separated from google so its a good base if google wanna match it with their other services.
like the other as long as they keep their user privacy and not filtering and tracking the traffic i still feel its fine

[TIGR]

Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but I think Internet privacy issues sometimes get blown out of proportion these days. Take some responsibility and don't send things over the Internet that you want to keep private. That falls under common sense IMO. If you're not prepared for shady privacy policies, accidental information leaks, and information theft from servers, you probably shouldn't be using the Internet.

[_JP_]

No, you're not alone. The reason I don't join certain social networks is purely because I don't want to share certain personal information, nor do I see any need for it.

[btarunr]

Remember, if it's free, you're not the customer, you're the commodity being sold.