OT:Google data merge a privacy threat?, Admins could please leave this in the garage for a day at least, thanks Options

[Mark Henry]

I've already noticed that the ads on google are aimed directly at me (or my browsing history) and many are saying it's a privacy threat. To me it's high tech spam.
The amount google tries to track me, according to ghostery, is incredible.
Gmail users probably got a notice about the new privacy policy this AM, goes into effect March 1st, there is no op-out on this.

I'm thinking of dumping google and gmail and going with duckduckgo as my search engine. What would be a good one for my email?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/20...le-privacy.html

Please don't talk politics in this thread.

[TheCabinetmaker]

I'm with ya Mark. I have a goggle android phone. I keep getting nasty messages from them cause I have my gps turned off. None of their damn business where I go or where I am!

[rnellums]

According to their privacy policy information isn't disclosed to anyone not affiliated with Google, but it does seem like a slippery slope.

[billh1963]

Yep... the road to hell is paved with good intentions. What starts out as a tool to help us can be used as a weapon against us.

[JStroud]

According to their privacy policy information isn't disclosed to anyone not affiliated with Google, but it does seem like a slippery slope.

That may be true, but if they're hacked it doesn't mean anything the information is still there. Also wonder how many companies are "affiliated with google".

eBay does the same, buy enough, or just bid on them, 914 parts and everytime you turn around a new group of 914 "suggestions".

My guess is if you use the technology, they will find a way to track you somehow.

[Valy]

Knowing how those thing work, I can tell you that any information collected by google is not safe, especially if you use an Android.
There is a recovery option that will allow you to login into your google account and retrieve all the information you had on your phone (emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, browser history, etc.)
All you need is to hack someone google password in order to get all the information on him.

[flipb]

I think this particular event is being overblown.

A single company (Google) has had all of this data on your online activities for years... the difference is simply that they're now utilizing that data across divisions of the company.

They can tell advertisers that they have 12,000 middle-class males between 25 and 35 in a particular geography who have searched for fly-fishing gear... but they can't hand the advertisers a list of those 12,000 names.

Oh, and FWIW... when you feel the need to do something online in a private manner (coughporncough), open Firefox, don't login to any personal sites such as Gmail, and enable Private Browsing. You can even do this in Chrome, but I can understand those who'd have misgivings about that.

[Elliot Cannon]

All this techno-marketing is interesting. When you buy something at the super market and your use you "club card" to get the "cheaper" price, they know what you buy EVERY time to shop. Seems kind of harmless doesn't it? Do they then share that information with other companies? I that a bad thing or is it more efficient? Does it improve you quality of life or increase someones profits? Kind of makes you go HMMMMM.

Just recently the Supreme Court ruled that the cops can't place a GPS tracker in your car without a warrant. The privacy issue will be tested more and more with the involvement of more technology.

[SirAndy]

I'm with ya Mark. I have a goggle android phone. I keep getting nasty messages from them cause I have my gps turned off. None of their damn business where I go or where I am!

Have you ever seen their interactive world map showing all ongoing searches worldwide in realtime?

Impressive and scary ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[smontanaro]

All you need is to hack someone google password in order to get all the information on him.

All the more reason to pick strong passwords and change them periodically.

Not too long ago Gmail reported to my wife that her account had been accessed from Poland. I told her to change that password and all financial passwords immediately. I was rather "insistent". She must have thought I was going to blow a gasket. We suffered no loss from it. I was thankful that Gmail tracked that sort of information and would use it to alert. Say what you will, but it's unlikely that someone like Comcast or your local ISP is ever going to provide that sort of alert

Gmail users: To see recent account accesses scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and click the "Details" link. You will get a popup like this:



In Ellen's case the Poland access was brightly highlighted (and there was a big fat alert right at the top of her Gmail session). It was impossible to miss.

Skip

[rick 918-S]

My issue with it is less about privacy but more about putting their affiliates ahead of any others. This is purely limiting your access to other good sources of information. Also stereo typing you into a box you may not alway fit into.

[smontanaro]

FYI, I got an email from Google this morning referring to a new privacy policy:

http://www.google.com/policies/

The new policy and terms of service take effect March 1. Probably worth a read if you use
any Google services.

Skip

[rick 918-S]

I received the email from google about what they were calling their new privacy policy too. Some emails state do not reply to this message. This one didn't. So here was my reply:

"You should call it your new invasion of privacy policy. If your going to track and target people there is no privacy in your policy anywhere. If your targeting people with the sites you want someone to see where's the volume of internet resources. Your new invasion of privacy policy will only limit our choices and alienate your base. We're not babies. We don't need Big Brother helping up search and steering us to the sites you want us to see. Whoever came up with this brain fart should be fired."


My issue is not with the security tracking and notification when using Gmail. It's with the whole marketing sites they want you to see because it's one of their customers. That's fine until there is a better site with lower cost products or more concise information. Then it becomes Big Brother.

If I could figure out how to make a black screen in protest like they did when a week or two ago when they were talking about passing a bill to stop internet theft I would.

It's ok for them to try to keep the internet free like the wild west when it benifits them but it's ok to limit and track people when it benifits them... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

PS: so as I figured. Bounce back undelivered...