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

Links for nerds on stories that matter

[echucker]

The Privacy International article - The Privacy International article

Their report (interim rankings only)

Final rankings won't be available until September. Wonder what they'll be dicking around for three months for....

Re:Links for nerds on stories that matter

[Bender0x7D1]

Actually, if you look at the preliminary report, they seem to have done a pretty good job. For example, Google does not consider IP address as personal information. This is OK if you are conneccting from a local coffee shop, but sucks if you have a static IP, or even do DHCP over a small range of addresses. It also points out that they don't always consider privacy implications before releasing information such as Street-level view. With the amount of data that Google gathers, analyzes, utilizes and releases (both publicly and its corporate partners), these kind of actions are a bit disturbing.

I'm not trying to say this report is perfect, or that there is enough information provided to evaluate it independently. However, seeing a conspiracy targeted at Google because a group got upset about some of their practices, and decided to do a study (which included a lot more companies than just Google), is a bit premature.

Re:Links for nerds on stories that matter

[Macthorpe]

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

Privacy International responded via an open letter here.

Re:Links for nerds on stories that matter

[fuego451]

Well, there is one, albeit small, link to Microsoft. From the "About Privacy International" page, UK advisory board:

Caspar Bowde ~ Privacy specialist, Microsoft, EMEA UK

For the Tin Foil Hat Brigade (myself included)

[Anonymous Coward]

Firefox and the Customize Google extension make a good team: http://www.customizegoogle.com/

Features:

        * Remove click tracking
        * Anonymize your Google userid
        * Block Google Analytics cookies

        * Secure Gmail and Google Calendar, switch to https
        * Remove ads

Re:Pot calls kettle black.

[k1e0x]

No its not a government conspiracy, they really ARE watching you. The average brit is photographed 200 to 400 times per day.

Hea, waat the hell, why not just pull random people over for.. no reason at all.. and take fingerprints. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6170070.stm Alread on it in the UK, the worlds leading police state.

Sound Orweallian..? guess what, it *looks* that way too. Check out the "it's for your 'safty'" ads. http://www.infowars.net/articles/april2006/170406w atching.htm