Google Blacklists CNet Reporters

An anonymous reader writes "Cnet News.com is reporting that Google is no longer talking to Cnet reporters. In an article about the search company looking for new executive chefs, the article states: 'Google representatives have instituted a policy of not talking with CNET News.com reporters until July 2006 in response to privacy issues raised by a previous story.' Apparently, Google was angered by an article published earlier by Cnet where all sorts of personal information about Google CEO Eric Schmidt was included. The information was obtained from Google searches."

Comments

Google should be proud

[TurdTapper]

All that article really did was prove how powerful Google really is. They should use it as a marketing tool.
"Google, so powerful you can find information about ANYBODY!"

Re:Well if it's there

[Peyna]

I think they might be using the "personal information" as a guise for what really upset them about the article.

It exposed the fact that they collect enormous amounts of personal information from their users, and all we can do is trust them and their employees.

Reassuring isn't it?

The article does point out that Google is not alone in this practice.

Real Reason for Ban?

[IEEEmember]

Despite the CNET's claim of being banned for release of personal information (or perhaps even Google's claim) I wonder if the ban wasn't instituted more for how the other information in the article was presented.

1. The personal information wasn't that personal (stock filings, appearance at Burning Man and wife's name).
2. The tone of the article is almost fear mongering as it focuses on the privacy issues surrounding Google services and not simply search.
3. Both a sidebar and large print quotes were used to highlight the danger with none of the mitigating text found in the article given such prominent treatment.
4. The correction implies that the original article had some significantly incorrect information damaging to Google.

Re:I'm not feeling sorry

[stinerman]

Your address,
121 N. Maple Ave.
Cincinnati Ohio

Correction
Fairborn, OH 45324

You attend Wright State University in Dayton but seeing as you are originally from Ohio it can be inferred that you have not traveled far from home in your meager 21 years.

I've lived in Tiffin, Attica, Kent, Stow, Clinton, and Willard -- all in Ohio.

You are still a college student and from a working class family. You are resentful at those who have money because they could afford a better secondary education, which you could not afford as you paying for your education largely by yourself via federal loans and grants.

Close enough ;-)

You like to involve yourself in political discussion about world issues yet get all your facts from sources that are just as bias as the sources the right wing people you enjoy calling "idiotic" get their facts from.

Depends how old your info is. I enjoy Paul Krugman's economic columns. I tend to stay away from the mainstream. I read the Daily Kos for humor value, etc.

You are a pseudo-intellectual and like to quote Voltaire.

I might have quoted Voltaire a few times. I prefer the stylings of Mikhail Bakunin these days.

See, all sorts of info is easily obtainable from web. And all this in just the pass 15 minutes. Imagine if I put a little effort into it.

Have fun ... most of that stuff is on there because I want it to be. You've not found anything novel. But there is something to be said about an AC posting all this.