Google announces privacy changes across products; users can’t opt out

[BERIGAN]

By Cecilia Kang, Published: January 24

Google will soon know far more about who you are and what you do on the Web.

The Web giant announced Tuesday that it plans to follow the activities of users across nearly all of its ubiquitous sites, including YouTube, Gmail and its leading search engine.

Google has already been collecting some of this information. But for the first time, it is combining data across its Web sites to stitch together a fuller portrait of users.

Consumers who are logged into Google services won’t be able to opt out of the changes, which take effect March 1.

More

[alocispepraluger102]

By Cecilia Kang, Published: January 24

Google will soon know far more about who you are and what you do on the Web.

The Web giant announced Tuesday that it plans to follow the activities of users across nearly all of its ubiquitous sites, including YouTube, Gmail and its leading search engine.

Google has already been collecting some of this information. But for the first time, it is combining data across its Web sites to stitch together a fuller portrait of users.

Consumers who are logged into Google services won’t be able to opt out of the changes, which take effect March 1.

More

we suspected this--this puts it in black and white. using several google products, i'm definitely reconsidering,,,,,,

[Pete C]

http://petercherches.blogspot.com/2007/06/eavesdropping.html

[Neal Pomea]

Experts: Google privacy shift will have greater impact on Android users

"But Opsahl said that because Google account holders cannot opt out of the new policy, he fears that the company’s efforts to compile information about users won’t accommodate those who want to separate their personal and professional digital lives. The policy change also alarmed some lawmakers and consumer advocates."

Opsahl is Kurt Opsahl, an attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation

I want to keep my personal and professional digital lives separate. I hope I can continue to have multiple YouTube accounts, maybe one for professional purposes and another for music videos. I don't want people I work with to track which music videos I saw lately and liked.

[sonnymax]

As I use Gmail to communicate with patients and Google calendar to schedule their appointments, I'm concerned about potential breaches of confidentiality. What I need to find out is whether Google will have access to the information contained in my emails and my schedule, or whether they are "simply" gathering tracking information about sites I visit while I'm logged into one or more of their accounts. If anyone can direct me to a verifiable source that addresses these concerns, I'd appreciate a "heads-up".

[ejp626]

I am certainly no expert, but my impression is that Google has always been poking around in the Gmail accounts. That is why despite the convenience (and price!), I have never signed up for a Gmail account. I'll certainly still use the Google search function though.

[mjzee]

As I use Gmail to communicate with patients and Google calendar to schedule their appointments, I'm concerned about potential breaches of confidentiality. What I need to find out is whether Google will have access to the information contained in my emails and my schedule, or whether they are "simply" gathering tracking information about sites I visit while I'm logged into one or more of their accounts. If anyone can direct me to a verifiable source that addresses these concerns, I'd appreciate a "heads-up".

I think you have reasons to be concerned:

WSJ

[Neal Pomea]

As I use Gmail to communicate with patients and Google calendar to schedule their appointments, I'm concerned about potential breaches of confidentiality. What I need to find out is whether Google will have access to the information contained in my emails and my schedule, or whether they are "simply" gathering tracking information about sites I visit while I'm logged into one or more of their accounts. If anyone can direct me to a verifiable source that addresses these concerns, I'd appreciate a "heads-up".

There is this FAQ

"What kind of information are they collecting and integrating?:

Google collects and can integrate almost anything that’s already in the Google ecosystem: calendar appointments, location data, search preferences, contacts, personal habits based on Gmail chatter, device information and search queries, to name a few. "

You may want to consider a different email system if you do not want Google to know your calendar.

[Pete C]

You may want to consider a different email system if you do not want Google to know your calendar.

Or your "personal habits."

[sonnymax]

Google collects and can integrate almost anything that’s already in the Google ecosystem: calendar appointments, location data, search preferences, contacts, personal habits based on Gmail chatter, device information and search queries, to name a few. "

You may want to consider a different email system if you do not want Google to know your calendar.

This claim is not consistent with the information provided on Google's site about the policy change:

Information we collect

We collect information to provide better services to all of our users – from figuring out basic stuff like which language you speak, to more complex things like which ads you’ll find most useful or the people who matter most to you online.

We collect information in two ways:

Information you give us. For example, many of our services require you to sign up for a Google Account. When you do, we’ll ask for personal information, like your name, email address, telephone number or credit card. If you want to take full advantage of the sharing features we offer, we might also ask you to create a publicly visible Google Profile, which may include your name and photo.

Information we get from your use of our services. We may collect information about the services that you use and how you use them, like when you visit a website that uses our advertising services or you view and interact with our ads and content. This information includes:

Device information - We may collect device-specific information (such as your hardware model, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information including phone number). Google may associate your device identifiers or phone number with your Google Account.

Log information - When you use our services or view content provided by Google, we may automatically collect and store certain information in server logs. This may include: details of how you used our service, such as your search queries; telephony log information like your phone number, calling-party number, forwarding numbers, time and date of calls, duration of calls, SMS routing information and types of calls; Internet protocol address; device event information such as crashes, system activity, hardware settings, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request and referral URL;

cookies that may uniquely identify your browser or your Google Account.

Location information - When you use a location-enabled Google service, we may collect and process information about your actual location, like GPS signals sent by a mobile device. We may also use various technologies to determine location, such as sensor data from your device that may, for example, provide information on nearby Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.

Unique application numbers - Certain services include a unique application number. This number and information about your installation (for example, the operating system type and application version number) may be sent to Google when you install or uninstall that service or when that service periodically contacts our servers, such as for automatic updates.

Local storage - We may collect and store information (including personal information) locally on your device using mechanisms such as browser web storage (including HTML 5) and application data caches.

Cookies and anonymous identifiers - We use various technologies to collect and store information when you visit a Google service, and this may include sending one or more cookies or anonymous identifiers to your device. We also use cookies and anonymous identifiers when you interact with services we offer to our partners, such as advertising services or Google features that may appear on other sites.

I'm not totally comforted by this disclosure from Google, but I wonder if the source you quoted is being purposely provocative in their warnings.

[Neal Pomea]

I'm not totally comforted by this disclosure from Google, but I wonder if the source you quoted is being purposely provocative in their warnings.

Good point! Worth more research. I looked at Slashdot for perspective and don't feel it's objective. Too many Google connections there. Worth looking into what the advocacy groups for privacy are reporting.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Neal Pomea

[Neal Pomea]

Google responds to privacy policy criticisms

from the text of Wash Post:

"use different accounts for different services, so that data is not shared between them. For example, use one Google account for your mail, another for YouTube and one more for Google+. Additionally, there are always the granular privacy changes you can make within some of the products."

I don't use Calendar so I don't know, but maybe you could have a separate account for that? I am glad to learn that I can have separate YouTube accounts. I hope they will not force consolidation of those accounts in the future.

I think the Post coverage was warranted. Electronic Frontier Foundation and EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) were also concerned and are keeping an eye on this.

[JSngry]

"granular"?

[GA Russell]

I see that MapQuest has a new privacy policy as well.

[sonnymax]

Google responds to privacy policy criticisms

from the text of Wash Post:

"use different accounts for different services, so that data is not shared between them. For example, use one Google account for your mail, another for YouTube and one more for Google+. Additionally, there are always the granular privacy changes you can make within some of the products."

I don't use Calendar so I don't know, but maybe you could have a separate account for that? I am glad to learn that I can have separate YouTube accounts. I hope they will not force consolidation of those accounts in the future.

I think the Post coverage was warranted. Electronic Frontier Foundation and EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) were also concerned and are keeping an eye on this.

I don't know that it really matters if I have multiple accounts. If Google is storing information contained in my emails (patients' names, phone numbers, email addresses), then I think a case can be made that their confidentiality has been compromised. It appears there is an exception to Google's proposed changes for government accounts, but not for other accounts that regularly include privileged information that is protected by state and federal laws. We'll see.