Google's Power

[Coding Monkey]

I recall Silly Jokes reporting a while back about people using Tesco clubcards to buy items, which meant that they would effectively know everything about you. Yet, I very rarely hear any complains about Google. First of all, they indefinitely store all of your searches, will not comment on the reasons for this, and set a cookie on your machine so they can trace you. This means they can gain an idea of everything about you, from what interests you, to what you want to purchase (Froogle). They can tell where you live (country/county wise, yet not too specific), they know what hours you're likely to be online, they will know who you speak to (GMail), and even if you don't use Google to find somewhere, but have their toolbar, they know what sites you're visiting.

Furthermore, with their 'generous' offer of Analytics, they can tell everything they would like to know about your customers. They will be able to find information on the customers visiting your website through their own databases, and with their conversion tracking, they have more information on marketing than any other company that has ever existed. They would even be able to gain an idea of your financial situation via conversion tracking.

Will I still carry on using Google? Yes. But it's just a thought.

[SillyJokes]

It's a very spooky thought, Mac.

They do give us back a lot in return in terms of helpful stuff.

Tesco only give us vouchers which don't amount to much.

[DotNetWebs]

I have been trying to make this point to a friend of mine for a long time. He is forever ribbing me for using Microsoft products, telling me I should not trust them with privacy issues etc. I reply that nowadays Google is a far greater threat to his privacy.

Here is an article about their latest tool. It has the potential to store copies of all your documents on its servers:

http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_02.php#004400


Even if you trust Google, all the information that you have mentioned, and soon copies of all your documents could be sat on Google's servers waiting to be subpoenaed or hacked.

Its funny people are happy to paint Microsoft as the "evil empire" etc. yet Google are still seen as "cool" etc. Think about it which one of these is potentially the greatest threat to your privacy.

Also you make a very good point about Analytics. I really don't understand why people are prepared to spend thousands setting up their business and websites but then wont spend a few pounds on a decent stats service or log analyzer etc. Do you really want to give Google that much information?

To be honest I am not sure everybody does fully understand what information they are giving away.

[Coding Monkey]

Its funny people are happy to paint Microsoft as the "evil empire" etc. yet Google are still seen as "cool" etc. Think about it which one of these is potentially the greatest threat to your privacy.


This is the point really. Because people know about Microsoft security exploits and their sheer dominance, people seem to take a negative approach to them. Although Yahoo! and MSN had no problem in handing over information to the US Government, Google denied them.

To be honest I am not sure everybody does fully understand what information they are giving away.[/quote]

It all comes down to how you word it, yet everytime Google release something I notice that it's another way of gathering information about people.

[Tin]

Information is "power"! The people that are aware of that like Microsoft, Google etc, etc, know how to get it, have been getting it from all of us for a very long time and know how to use it the 'their' best advantage not ours.
:twisted:

It's the Internet, like it or loath it.

[DotNetWebs]

There was a great article in The Times a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-2006482,00.html

It suggests a different reason why Google denied the US government.

My favourite bit though is the (hopefully tongue-in-cheek) suggestion that in the future we may have Minority Report (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181689/) style "pre-crime" units based on your Google searches.

[Magsite]

Makes you wonder about privacy laws

Lisa

[Coding Monkey]

There was a great article in The Times a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-2006482,00.html


Interesting read....especially from the Times ;) Oh dear, now as Google crawl these pages and I have my URL present along with my name, Google will know that I don't like the Times, and they can relate to this a whois query on my site and know where I live, so can accurately estimate where I'll vote and who I'll vote for! Arghhhhhhh ;)