Google announces privacy changes across products; users can’t opt out

[Jack]

Google will soon know far more about who you are and what you do on the Web.

The Web giant announced Tuesday that it plans to follow the activities of users across nearly all of its ubiquitous sites, including YouTube, Gmail and its leading search engine

Google has already been collecting some of this information. But for the first time, it is combining data across its Web sites to stitch together a fuller portrait of users.

Consumers won’t be able to opt out of the changes, which take effect March 1. And experts say the policy shift will invite greater scrutiny from federal regulators of the company’s privacy and competitive practices.

The move will help Google better tailor its ads to people’s tastes. If someone watches an NBA clip online and lives in Washington, the firm could advertise Washington Wizards tickets in that person’s Gmail account.

Consumers could also benefit, the company said. When someone is searching for the word “jaguar,” Google would have a better idea of whether the person was interested in the animal or the car. Or the firm might suggest e-mailing contacts in New York when it learns you are planning a trip there.

But consumer advocates say the new policy might upset people who never expected their information would be shared across so many different Web sites.

Read more....

 

[Jack]

Slowly but certainly Google is becoming the Umbrela Corp.... In the last years has collected a lot of personal data from all of us.... Names, phone numbers, what we like and we don't and other details like this are in Google database....
I remember reading awhile ago that Google doesn't allow on their Google+ network the use of fake names... scary..... Gooogle = No Privacy! and the worst part is that Google has put their hands in almost every online service... Like I've said awhile ago I'm waiting for the day Google will announce that they have their own antivirus!

 

[illumination]

Getting to be a little much, wont be long before anything google will be stripped completely from my uses, based on a respect factor they seem to be loosing for everyone's privacy! It is not a matter of having anything to hide, as it is not having the "opt" option and being forced to give up all your info. Many use "fake" names on the net as a matter of protection, Google will be leaving all these people vulnerable to stalkers,ect.

 

[Viking]

Google wants to become the Biggest Brother of them all. Say goodbye to privacy!

 

[Jack]

Here is a video created by Google explaining the new updates :

 

[Linuxfever]

Business as usual for Google and I was expecting to see this because i have notice that when i logon to my Gmail account i also get logged on my Youtube account!

 

[Jack]

Microsoft Slams Google Privacy Changes

Microsoft wasted little time launching an effort to cash in on concerns about Google's controversial new privacy policies, under which the search giant said it would monitor user activity across all of its major Web services--including YouTube, Gmail, and its namesake search engine.

"The changes Google announced make it harder, not easier, for people to stay in control of their own information," said Microsoft chief spokesman Frank Shaw, in a blog entry Wednesday. "We take a different approach--we work to keep you safe and secure online, to give you control over your data, and to offer you the choice of saving your information on your hard drive, in the cloud, or on both."

Shaw said that, in contrast to some versions of Google's products, Microsoft services like Hotmail and Office 365 don't serve up user information to advertisers. He also touted Internet Explorer's built-in tracking protection feature. To further emphasize the point, Microsoft is running an ad in major newspapers this week that says the company is "Putting People First."

The ad says Google's changes are "cloaked in language like 'transparency,' 'simplicity,' and 'consistency'" but in fact are "really about one thing: making it easier for Google to connect the dots between everything you search, send, say, or stream while using one of their services."

 

[Hungry Man]

Umbrella Corp Jack? >_> Are we going to start seeing Zombies?

 

[iPanik]

While this new policy does allow for new levels of creepiness, I still prefer to collect my data at Google rather than a series of other services.
Google lets you see and moderate the data they have on you. You can opt-out of a lot of things like adds, if you so prefer. I have seen many services that don't even allow you to delete your account.

Google is one of the most watched companies on the internet. There are many people who watch every step that Google makes.

 

[Littlebits]

While this new policy does allow for new levels of creepiness, I still prefer to collect my data at Google rather than a series of other services.
Google lets you see and moderate the data they have on you. You can opt-out of a lot of things like adds, if you so prefer. I have seen many services that don't even allow you to delete your account.

Google is one of the most watched companies on the internet. There are many people who watch every step that Google makes.

I completely agree, even though I don't agree with the no opt outs, your data is much safer with Google than other companies. Google has many other competitive companies and individuals watching their every move, Google can't afford to mess things up or it will become a stepping stone for the likes of Microsoft Bing, Yahoo, Ask.com, etc.

Thanks.

 

[Prorootect]

iPanik wrote:
'You can opt-out ..'

Yes, look: 'I use Google's search engine for my malware sites search only.
For everyday's web search, I use Privatelee and DuckDuckGo searches (with WOT implemented).
I have also Bing (for pictures of the day), then I use Blekko, Cluuz, Yippy, Ecosia ..'
Here: List of Best Search Engines on the Web: http://malwaretips.com/Thread-List-of-Best-Search-Engines-on-the-Web

Qui cherche trouve - "where there's a will, there's a way." Literally: "he who searches, finds." Biblical version is: Seek and *yee shall find. * - old English.

 

[Littlebits]

iPanik wrote:
'You can opt-out ..'

Yes, look: 'I use Google's search engine for my malware sites search only.
For everyday's web search, I use Privatelee and DuckDuckGo searches (with WOT implemented).
I have also Bing (for pictures of the day), then I use Blekko, Cluuz, Yippy, Ecosia ..'
Here: List of Best Search Engines on the Web: http://malwaretips.com/Thread-List-of-Best-Search-Engines-on-the-Web

Qui cherche trouve - "where there's a will, there's a way." Literally: "he who searches, finds." Biblical version is: Seek and *yee shall find. * - old English.

Of coarse you don't have to use Google search engine, I've always used Yahoo myself because it has much less duplicate results. But it is not so easy to not use other Google services like Gmail, Picasa, Google Earth, Google Documents, Google Plus, Google Chrome, Google Blogs, Google Groups, etc. some of these services don't have a comparable replacement.

Thanks.

 

[Prorootect]

@Littlebits,

I do not use Gmail, Picasa, Google Earth, Google Documents, Google Plus, Google Chrome, Google Blogs, Google Groups, etc. etc. etc. very insecure (eg. for your privacy ..) Google 'services'. Never, except Picasa in 2007.

No, thanks.

 

[Hungry Man]

I keep seeing this "Users can't opt-out" nonsense. What exactly would anyone like to opt-out of? You'd like to opt out and go to the old policy - the one that does literally the exact same amount of data collection but without the cross referencing?

You either have a problem with their data collection or you don't - either way this privacy policy changes absolutely nothing - if you don't like data collection you can use Google's provided instructions to wipe your slate and move to a new engine, if you don't care/ like data collection then congratulations your search results will be more relevant.