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Google Attempts to Allay US Privacy Fears

Posted by Zonk on from the hard-to-do-when-you're-everywhere dept.

Ian Lamont writes "Google is in the midst of a full-court privacy effort in Washington that involves pushing consumer privacy legislation in U.S. Congress, reaching out to privacy advocates in an effort to allay concerns about its acquisition of DoubleClick, and working with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to 'fine-tune online advertising principles' that the agency proposed last year. Google has been under fire in Washington in recent years — the FTC investigated the Google/DoubleClick deal and the EFF has issued warnings over Google services in the past. Is Google being sincere about these issues, or is this effort mostly paying lip service to its 'do no evil' policy and an attempt to head off future clashes with policy makers?"

7 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. Google helps ... by PC+and+Sony+Fanboy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A lot of the things google does aren't EVIL ... but aren't good. Think about the help they've given to china in the great firewall, and all the assistance they give to censoring. It shows that they're complying with the government ideas of good and evil, not the rights of the individual.

    In other words... google is going to 'do no evil' ... and evil (in the USA) would be fighting the govn't.

    1. Re:Google helps ... by secondbase · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "Just a bit silly", perhaps, but it's in response to Google's own self-promotion.

      People don't say to GM or IBM or McDonald's, "I can't believe you're selling in China." Everyone expects GM to be about money, money, money.

      But if Google sells itself as a new economy, uber-green (being good for humanity, much less the planet) company, they'd better expect a lot of heat when their privacy behavior is gray, or when they help keep the internet from being the instrument for change that some hope it will be.

    2. Re:Google helps ... by plague3106 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's not the place of an international corporation to pick and choose which laws to follow.

      Is Google not a collection of people? Don't individuals have the responsiblity to help defend the rights of others? Don't individuals have the responsiblity to stand up to unjust laws? Our founders believed that an unjust law was not a law the moment it was passed, you can see that in what happens when a law is deemed unconsitutional.

  2. Their Power by Paranatural · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They undoubtedly have the ability to, realistically, more thoroughly collect privacy-related data than almost any other non governmental agency.

    While I believe that they are really trying to stick to the 'Do No Evil' ideal, I do believe that the groundwork they are laying down now is rife with the ability to be exploited in the future when, perhaps, they are run by people less concerned with idealism and more concerned about profits.

    What they really need to dop is develop a variety of ways that they can, as much as they can, prevent themselves from abusing the power they have. Third party inspectors, not collecting some of the data in the first place, written and signed contracts concerning ethics and whatnot.

    Will they all eventually fail? Most likely. But they can do a lot to slow the spread of the inevitable corruption.

    At this point I think they are too idealistic to see it that way, though.

  3. opt-in by esocid · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I recently noticed that google logged my searching habits, and while I thought it was kind of cool to see the stats, I was weary of the thought of my habits cataloged. They may have a desire to utilize searches to target ads they think consumers may like, but it still comes down to making money for them. It's notable that they are pushing for consent from users to use data that is collected, but that has always been abused even with telephone and credit card companies handing out your data. I'd prefer an opt-in rather than an opt-out version so I don't have to worry about who is tracking what, or I'll just stick to track-me-not.

    --
    Absolute power corrupts absolutely. indymedia
  4. not worried yet, but when? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Say Google becomes evil, and then you want "out". What can you do? They have all your data, all your history. Your reputation, your personal preferences belong to them.

    I'm no longer using google's email or history or anything. I run without cookies while I hit their site.

  5. Ever heard the phrase "agitate for change"...? by BAM0027 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I read a couple of the top mod'd comments and they reminded me of the results from Google's bid for wireless space. I googled "google wireless auction" and this ("Google wireless-auction loss called possible win [ZDNet]") came up as the top hit, which led to this choice quote that _really_ got me thinking:

    The auctions raised a record $19.12 billion for government coffers.
    Analyzing Google's actions along the "good or evil" lines seems too blunt and, personally, I love this privacy action by Google. Some of the past results of their actions have demonstrated much more finesse than I think people give them credit for.

    Speaking of finesse, I personally appreciate a more graceful and elegant solution to achieving goals. In fact, I'm curious to know if the _goals_ of Google are more subtle themselves than people tend to realize.

    In counterpoint, I offer the current U.S. Administration which: 1) demonstrates little finesse, and 2) far less productivity than the costs merit.