If you are a user of one of Google’s “free” products, I’m sure you have received an e-mail from Google inviting you to check their new and consolidated privacy policy. Had Google hired a professional copywriter to get you reading the privacy policy, when they mention that they have decided to unify almost 60 policies, I’m not sure everybody have taken a look at it.
So let’s highlight few items that are worth mentioning. You’ll probably skip this article, as you’ve surely skipped Google’s e-mail announcing the update on the privacy policy: indeed, why would you spend three minutes reading a too “bureaucratic” writing?
- Well, it’ll only be effective on March 1st 2012 so you may say you still have time. But you can’t say you haven’t been warned should you have any concerns about this move, so it’s your call. Oh, and in case you think you have enough power to get Google reconsidering this move, well, there’s no way top opt-out from a privacy policy except not using Google services anymore.
- Users can customize their privacy settings. This reminds me of one article I once read where one big guy (I can’t remember who it was, was it Steve Jobs?) who said that Google is becoming the next Microsoft (and facebook IMHO). Leaving to the user the choice to configure his own privacy settings is like asking someone who’s never been to a kitchen to cook the diner for tonight while leaving all the ingredients on the table: it just doesn’t work. Have you seen how people react to the multiple Facebook privacy updates? People had enough, and a lot (including me) is considering that facebook just can’t secure any private informations.
So, yes, there doesn’t seem to be an emergency in this Google privacy update, what it actually does is that Google is informing you that they will integrate a lot of the informations he has about you in order to improve your experience.
By the way, in case you are still wondering, one report have evaluated that our private informations that Google holds is worth between $50 to $5000 per year to all kind of marketers. So yes, most of Google services we use are free but there’s a price to pay. Remember what I told about the new “SSL feature” on Google searches? Stats about incoming searches to your sites would be invisible to you as a website owner, but they will be available to Google Adwords advertisers.
Given that users behaviour are the main assets of sites like Google and Facebook, I expect a drastic revamping of this “internet privacy” issue in the coming months (especially since there’s also a very active lobbying for/against bills and acts like SOPA, PIPA and ACTA on the way).
So get back to reading that Google privacy , do yourself a favor and check it in order to identify things that matter to you. Quoting the policy:
“ Tailored for you
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. We’ll better understand which version of Pink or Jaguar you’re searching for and get you those results faster. “
But then, there’s that little note that is worth mentioning:
“And we’ll never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances like valid legal requests).”
Hmmm, what’s your view? Do you think there’s any kind of threat in this change? Or do you think that Google already has a lot informations about you and that this move is just “publicly confirming” that they’ll be using it in a condensed way?
