Privacy Complaint Against Google's GMail Service

CRCates writes "Privacy groups in the UK have filed a complaint against Google over its new Gmail service. Privacy groups said they were concerned about Google's ability to link a user's personal details, supplied in the Gmail registration process, to Web-surfing behaviour through the use of a single cookie for its search and mail services. "

Comments

So?

[System.out.println()]

You want a gig of email but with privacy? Go sign up at Spymac. It's also free, and it's already here - and not in beta. And they don't read your email.

also in the BBC

[tuxette]

BBC Article

Gmail - Opt-In

[Silwenae]

I can understand the concerns Europeans may have, but then again, this is an opt-in procedure.

If you don't want to use Gmail, you have other options through your ISP, other free services, etc.

It just seems to me this is an extension of social networking, but from a business perspective. - target based advertising based on what you surf for based on your cookie.

It seems similar in a way to what Gnome's Nat Friedman wants to do with Dashboard. Based on your email & IM, having the desktop provide you with links to what you're talking about.

To me, the pro's at this point from what we know may outweight the cons - yes they'll target me with ad's based on my surfing behavior, but the ability to index and search my email rather than using "To" "From" and "Subject" headers is definitely a step forward in email management.

Read it.

[mystery_bowler]

Here is the privacy policy.

I didn't see anything in there about this particular topic, although there is a bit about the fact that they will be using cookies (natch).

Personally, I find it hard to be too concerned about this. My web-surfing patterns are already recorded in a "soft" way via my browser history and a much "harder" way via my ISP's access logs. I can go out of my way to use proxies and make it difficult to trace, etc, but it isn't like you can't figure out what my machine is doing (unless I'm doing some fairly advanced stuff).

Data Protection Act

[Aardpig]

Look, they aren't charging for the service, nor are they forcing you to use it.

Whether its free or not is irrelevant. In the UK, there is legislation (the so-called Data Protection Act ) which places tight constraints on how personal data is archived and managed. If the Google mail service falls foul of this act, then it does not matter whether or not the service is free; it is still breaking the law.

Re:Data Protection Act

[AlecC]

But the DPA prevents usage of personal information for purposes other than that for which it was collected. If anybody explains why they are collecting information about you, and receives your OK to do so (opt-in, not opt-out), it does not seem to me that they are breaking the DPA. Google is very open. If they put all this clearly (as they do) in their Terms and Conditions, and then keep to their word, I don't see that the DPA being involved.

Re:Microsoft Exchange?

[dave420]

The real reason they're keeping the data is the way google's distributed file system works.

It uses 64mb-chunks of disk space, and instead of erasing data from within the chunk, it just flags it as deleted, thereby not fragmenting the filesystem fantastically. That method means it's practically impossible to delete the email.

It has to be kept on their filesystem as the inbox is searchable, and 1gb large - raid arrays just wouldn't cope with that stress (and it'd take 3 days to search your mail). The filesystem is the real genius of google - their system is made of hundreds of terabytes of storage on a distributed system. Thousands of servers running redundantly. When one dies (with that many it's a regular occurance) it gets swapped out seamlessly. The processing on the data also requires huge bandwidth throughput.

To me, it looks like the google boys found a great use for their systems, but the very methods that make them great contradict local law in some areas they're selling in.

Oh, and the rules are that different in europe ;)