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The Google Privacy Scandal And You

CAM

Entry posted by CAM

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There has been some awful news coverage today of the privacy policy updates being carried out by Google. Many people are being misled by the reduction of the 70 seperate policies currently being agreed to down to 1 policy for 1 unified platform. It makes business sense and whilst there are always some concerns when changes are made to any organisation's policy, the storm in a teacup is being made worse by the media again.

 

This morning on BBC News, the story broke about Google's changes to their privacy policy and started with uninformed spouting by the general public about personal information being used to receive tailor-made spam E-Mails and worries about advertisers seeing personal information. Whilst interviewing a Google manager, it was stated that for advertising Google will suggest adverts using an algorithm and that advertisers will not see any personal information. This was immediately followed by the news reader saying there are concerns about advertisers seeing personal information in a direct contrast to what the Google manager had just said! I felt sorry for the guy as no matter how well he explained it, the same uninformed garbage was being swung in his direction.

 

Later in the day, I catch the end of the news on my car radio (this time XFM) where the news reader states that there are worries about Google sharing data with other companies such as YouTube. For those not in the loop (as XFM clearly wasn't) YouTube is owned by Google. The different companies that the data is being shared with are all operating under the same Google banner and in the case of YouTube, have done so for a very long time. Of course, this poor coverage is instead translated to "Google sharing your porn searches with world+dog" instead of actual fact.

 

Frankly, Facebook and their use of page analysis to serve adverts is considerably creepier and often with hilariously bad results. But unlike Google, they aren't as up-front and honest about their site's changes. I wonder how many people will boycott Google over nothing as a result of this teacup tsunami and carry on seeing advertisements for pumped up products in their Facebook sidebar with their friend's faces plastered on them.

 

Or heaven forbid, a family member's face.

Edited by CAM

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Morgaine

Morgaine 343

Posted

Unfortunately your post comes across as sheer Google fanboism, first because it cites no authoritative information in support of its claims, and second because it uses emotively loaded terms like "awful", "storm in a teacup", "spouting", "garbage", "teacup tsunami", and so on.

 

In other words, sir, you have written a rant.

 

The only support you can possibly get for such an article is from other Google fanbois, and not from someone expecting to read well reasoned and factually supported arguments from both sides in a calm and balanced write-up.

CAM

CAM 22,595

Posted

Unfortunately your post comes across as sheer Google fanboism, first because it cites no authoritative information in support of its claims, and second because it uses emotively loaded terms like "awful", "storm in a teacup", "spouting", "garbage", "teacup tsunami", and so on.

 

In other words, sir, you have written a rant.

 

The only support you can possibly get for such an article is from other Google fanbois, and not from someone expecting to read well reasoned and factually supported arguments from both sides in a calm and balanced write-up.

 

Fits quite well in Categories:Rants then. ;)

 

This is a rant but not in support of Google but in derision of the media and it's normal screwed up hysteria.

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