Privacy Group Gives Google Lowest Possible Grade

The Washington Post is reporting on a finding by London-based group Privacy International. In a new report, they find that Google has some of the worst privacy-protection practices anywhere on the web, giving them the lowest possible grade. "While a number of other Internet companies have troubling policies, none comes as close to Google to 'achieving status as an endemic threat to privacy,' Privacy International said in an explanation of its findings. In a statement from one of its lawyers, Google said it aggressively protects its users' privacy and stands behind its track record. In its most conspicuous defense of user privacy, Google last year successfully fought a U.S. Justice Department subpoena demanding to review millions of search requests."

Comments

Re:Toppling the Top Guy

[Fex303]

This is a classic trick of anti-capitalist lefties (and looking at who is on their committees, there's a whole bunch of them).

Are you aware of the fact that this makes you sound like a cold war era crazy-person? I mean, if so, feel free to continue - I just thought you might want to know.

If they were the 2nd biggest coffee shop chain in the world, the scorn would not exist.

If they made decent coffee there would be a hell of a lot less scorn for them too...

Re:Toppling the Top Guy

[mrjb]

If they were the 2nd biggest coffee shop chain in the world, the scorn would not exist. I'm from the Netherlands. No starbucks at all to be found here- I guess they felt they couldn't compete with the Fine Products sold in coffee shops here :)

Re:Don't use it if you don't like it!

[sakdoctor]

Yeah right. What are you going to use instead?

Ask Jeeves? ...didn't think so.

Re:Links for nerds on stories that matter

[whoever57]

Google seem to be taking it seriously enough to accuse Privacy International of being in bed with Microsoft, which is a laughable accusation.

Well.... if anyone would have the information to prove this link, Google would! But what does that say about Google's privacy practices?

Re:Amusing...

[Timesprout]

Richard Stallman will throw his toys out of his pram, declare Open Source to be evil communism and start a new movement OAC (Obfuscated Assembly Code) and declare Obfuscated Assembly to be the one true way for source code. He demand all sources be closed but will still decry cash payment for software products and will insist on payment with body parts from the user, eg a couple of fingers to get you a spreadsheet package (you wont need those fingers to count any more anyway).

and, in related news, privacy international

[Anonymous Coward]

gets the lowest google ranking available.

Re:For the Tin Foil Hat Brigade (myself included)

[UbuntuDupe]

Yeah, I'm the same way. When I have girls over at my place, *all* they have to do is ask about the "no sound/video recording" option, and I won't keep their data. They just never request that feature.

News at 11

[jon_joy_1999]

Criminal defense lawyer John Henry Browne sues Privacy International on behalf of Google Inc. for poor rating.