Searching for privacy - Column

[QuintonB]

Searching for privacy

Google is changing its privacy policies on March 1; Alistair Fairweather looks at what all the fuss is about.

 

[mcryan]

I stopped reading here:

Now, website privacy policies are generally like Ayn Rand novels and the government gazette: a good cure for insomnia. Almost no one reads them except the terminally punctilious and the professionally obligated.

I happen to be a great fan of Ayn Rand. Perhaps the author has never read any of her novels...

 

[requiem]

I stopped reading here:



I happen to be a great fan of Ayn Rand. Perhaps the author has never read any of her novels...

They are seriously lengthy though, think everyone in SA should read Atlas Shrugged at least...

 

[mcryan]

They are seriously lengthy though, think everyone in SA should read Atlas Shrugged at least...

+1

They're big books to get through, but for anyone who reads novels as a hobby, Atlas Shrugged and Fountain Head will easily make it into your list of favourites. Well, they certainly made it into mine, but we all have different tastes.

 

[jasweb]

WOW how this thread has delrailed in the first few posts

800 million people use facebook and very few "worry" about their privacy. Yes, we do trust google and facebook alot with our data. That is perphaps the biggest threat of "free" services. Remeber. Nothing is for free.....

 

[Allin]

I use a gmail address to get the free SMTP proxy, haven't logged into the account since 2010.
I don't use Google+, Facebook, Twitter or any similar service so I guess I'm not too worried about it

 

[HavocXphere]

WOW how this thread has delrailed in the first few posts

Pretty sad.

Of course there’s a simple answer for those who can’t accept such flagrant tyranny. Either close your Google account, or don’t open one in the first place.

Except tracking cookies work even without a google account. :Rolleyes:

 

[mcryan]

WOW how this thread has delrailed in the first few posts

So true, I apologise!

 

[Viva]

I don't understand what the issue with trusting Google with one's data is. At least in my mind, it's not any worse than trusting your bank, cellular operator or government with your personal details.

Thing is, the moment Google misuses this personal information, people will lose trust in them, and they will lose business. They can't afford a serious misstep.

Using collected data from search results or emails to fine tune targeted ads or suggesting Youtube videos is not misusing information. Selling people's personal information to a third party, for instance, is what would be crossing the line. And Google have never done anything like this as far as I know.

So what's all this paranoia about?

 

[Toitjie]

As mentioned in the article, this has been happening already for years, only difference is now people are told about it and its on a greater scale.

and people are moaning? why? Mainly all it is doing it providing a better experience by displaying info on YOUR screen that is RELATED to what YOU are looking for.

So stop bitching and say thanx for making it easier to find those videos on making a really awesome apple pie..

 

[TrueSeeker]

I'd be willing to pay for my privacy if it is not a rediculous amount. If I just knew how much my privacy is worth then I could make an informed decision. I don't even like adds. On the other hand Google relies on known as much as possible about as many as possible of its users - So I don't even see them giving them a paid service option because 'silent' users would cut down on how much information they can gather and thus hurt the value of their combined data pool.

Finally to be honest I would hardly care about this if it was not for the fact that the data will be used for surveillance purposes by governments just like Facebook and all the rest.

Who is to blame? What to do?