Google announces privacy changes across products. Users can't opt out!

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

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. And experts say the policy shift will invite greater scrutiny from federal regulators of the company's privacy and competitive practices.

To read more Click Here (Source: Washingtonpost.com)

Good Luck

COMP

 

>> I already got a scare when I noticed a banner ad here on MG's which was for a car dealership in my area!! They are watching!!! <<

No doubt about that,TimW!

I believe they are doing this primarily because they can get away with it; just like their competition abandoning user privacy simply for their ads (and the humungous ad revenue that consequently comes from them), primarily on huge and ubiquitous sites like Facebook, Apple, etc.

Of course they always had access to users' Gmail account(s) but scanning 100% of your e-mails 365/24/7 to for the sole purpose of finding out exactly what's on there so that they can target ads to you personally is certainly taking it up a notch. I would imagine that installing and then using the Google toolbar accomplishes practically the same task with regards to user privacy concerns. Also, the Google Web accelerator product was another good example of this privacy-gone amok policy; offering a supposedly (actually quite questionable) 'faster internet speed' and in turn Google knows every single website that you ever visit; regardless of which browser you used - all the while storing tens of thousands of MBs of temporary files in your temp folder in the process. P. T Barnum i. e. 'there's a sucker born every minute' would be so proud!

Good Luck! -- COMP

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It is no different than it has been. Why the hype over this? Google/AT&T shares info with the US Fed and Alex Jones says we should dig a hole and get in it.

 

I have a Google acct but only because I have too for some things. I've never trusted them, so avoid using a service that can be had elsewhere. I also don't lose any sleep over what I can't do anything about, and I just assume I can't do anything about this.

 

What Google Knows About You Already

 

Hi Friends!
I just posted a question here a few minutes ago asking for suggestions on what Search Engine (other than Google!), I can use that only wants to point me in the direction I need to go to answer my questions, but doesn't track me as if I had GPS devices in my PCs! (Although reliable sources have reported recently that we've been being watched for quite awhile using
tracking devices already.....since 1984, maybe??) Somehow the literary comparison was too easy for me to pass up....but the "Big Brother" theory in Orwell's GREAT work of 'fiction' has been reality for quite some time now!
I value my privacy, and I only want to do some shopping or look up a new medication, or learn how to knit a poncho and not have some screwball search engine need to know my entire life story!!
Any suggestions about a Search Engine who respects me will be GRATEFULLY APPRECIATED!

A million thanks for the name of a Respectful Search Engine,
Sincerely,
Nuts4Mutts

 

>> I value my privacy, and I only want to do some shopping or look up a new medication, or learn how to knit a poncho and not have some screwball search engine need to know my entire life story!! <<

Oh, I agree completely… Nuts4Mutts

Regarding the changes in Google User Privacy Policies I'm particularly concerned about not just Google's new search privacy practices; but also their new policy of scanning all Gmail email contents 365/24/7 (in fact from the instant users click "send") and keeping all of the email in storage; even after the email has been deleted by the user.

Some people may have no problem with this policy but I wonder how they would feel if the U.S. Post Office (as a condition of mailing any letter or package); suddenly decided it was OK to open and then read the contents of whatever was they sent (not to mention copy and store letters, invoices etc) through their local post office, as well… Also how would they like the prospect of someone like the Son of Sam or any other potentially “postal” employee having access all of their sent information?

>> Any suggestions about a Search Engine who respects me will be GRATEFULLY APPRECIATED! Nuts4Mutts < <

Although I cannot really recommend one per se; I’m currently trying out Yahoo. The problem is that ever since Facebook decided impose their "privacy edicts" to monitor and copy and save information on all of their accounts (supposedly for "ad related" reasons) as a result now all of the web related companies that depend upon advertising revenue to operate, will begin abandoning their previously conservative privacy policies in favor of a more dictatorial approach.

Good Luck! -- COMP

 

Same here,the google link ads are creepy as feed you ads no matter where you go.

I got one on here tryna hook me up with single mums:confusedI have no idea why that ad was chosen for me but they were bang on the money :-D JK

 

I've been using DuckDuckGo recently, privacy policy.

 

Related Article:
Google defends change to privacy policies 'Updated policy does not allow us to collect new or additional info,' (says search giant) ​

WASHINGTON - Planned changes to Google Inc's privacy policies that have caught the attention of U. S. lawmakers would not take away the control its customers have over how data is collected and used, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday Google, whose offerings include its flagship search engine, Gmail, YouTube and Google+ products, announced last week that it was unifying 60 of its privacy policies.

To read more: Click Here (Source: MSNBC.com)

Good Luck! - COMP
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