Meh. This video looks a lot like FUD to me. Google may know everything about what you do online (although even that is an exaggeration) but they don't know who you are, which is the important difference between this little propaganda piece and reality.
Google is most assuredly not the only company collecting anonymous usage statistics, doing data mining and building profiles and so on. They just happen to be the most efficient at it.
One thing I'll say for sure is that getting the government involved isn't going to make things any better. It never does. If you have a problem with what Google's doing then vote with your feet and your wallet and don't use their products. It's that simple.
Personally, I'm not too worried. Hell, I have an Android with a GPS and I suppose they could theoretically track my every movement. So what? How many people do you already see using apps like Four Square and Twitter, announcing to the entire world every place they go and every time they sit down to take a ? It's so easy to dig up dirt on people without Google - if somebody's going to collect that information anyway then I'd rather it be Google instead of some company I've never heard of.
The more important issue isn't whether or not they're collecting the information but who they're distributing it to. If it's just AdSense, it's really nothing to cry foul over. Even if it's local/federal law enforcement, I'm fine with that (there are very strict rules regarding how law enforcement agents are allowed to use that information). If they decide to start selling it off to the highest bidder, then I'll be worried - but PIPEDA already makes that illegal for them to do, so I doubt it'll happen any time soon.
Intangible
quote:
Originally posted by DigiNut
Meh. This video looks a lot like FUD to me. Google may know everything about what you do online (although even that is an exaggeration) but they don't know who you are, which is the important difference between this little propaganda piece and reality.
Google is most assuredly not the only company collecting anonymous usage statistics, doing data mining and building profiles and so on. They just happen to be the most efficient at it.
One thing I'll say for sure is that getting the government involved isn't going to make things any better. It never does. If you have a problem with what Google's doing then vote with your feet and your wallet and don't use their products. It's that simple.
Personally, I'm not too worried. Hell, I have an Android with a GPS and I suppose they could theoretically track my every movement. So what? How many people do you already see using apps like Four Square and Twitter, announcing to the entire world every place they go and every time they sit down to take a ? It's so easy to dig up dirt on people without Google - if somebody's going to collect that information anyway then I'd rather it be Google instead of some company I've never heard of.
The more important issue isn't whether or not they're collecting the information but who they're distributing it to. If it's just AdSense, it's really nothing to cry foul over. Even if it's local/federal law enforcement, I'm fine with that (there are very strict rules regarding how law enforcement agents are allowed to use that information). If they decide to start selling it off to the highest bidder, then I'll be worried - but PIPEDA already makes that illegal for them to do, so I doubt it'll happen any time soon.
Very good post
-g-
quote:
Originally posted by E2EK1EL
In the past, I've always tried to limit myself with using more Google products. I've had a strange feeling about them 3 years ago and feared they would turn evil very soon. I really love their products, but something felt wrong and their code of conduct of "Don't be evil" is creepy. Our data being stored on their servers the day we started using their products, is priceless. Even the US government wanted access to that data for their own purposes, during the famous court case. Without a doubt, Google is now the new Microsoft and "evil" might be a nicer term for what's being planned for the future.
no really, where did you copy this from?
pozz
you can only say to yourself "never be evil" when you are already in it's bed.
Dior Homme
Pirates of Silicon is a great movie.
Jobs: "Are you a virgin?"
Worker: "What? No."
Jobs: "You don't belong here."
DeleteFromUsers
quote:
Originally posted by E2EK1EL
All I can say is, the future is friendly and scary at the same time.
Luddite ;)
E2EK1EL
Me in a few years w/ Google :p
tvmann
Google decided I was evil.
Gave me a lifetime suspension from Google's YouTube for 3 trivial copyright infractions, of which the majority of YT videos are probably guilty. They go overboard on the suspensions to appease giant media corporations that might sue YT over music, video clips, images etc.
In some cases it is a computer that decides this stuff, no human intervention required. If you upload say a movie trailer, it might have the copyright bit set. YT's computers may see that bit and instantly decide it is a copyright infringement, even though the original movie studio has not complained, and in fact they want their trailers to be seen by as many people as possible so people will go see the movie.
I think in most cases the copyright infringements are the result of $7-an-hour employees of the media corporations regularly searching YT text comments looking for references to their movies, TV shows, images etc. So if you use a picture or something in a video, if you put a credit in your comments, that's how they find your video.
Google says I'm evil, but they still let me watch YT videos and use Gmail and maps. Go figure.
rabbitjoker
Time for anti-trust litigation.
mute79
E2EK1EL
^^^ Great video Dan, I didn;t realize they've bought that many "diff" companies.
Jem_hadar
quote:
Originally posted by DigiNut
Meh. This video looks a lot like FUD to me. Google may know everything about what you do online (although even that is an exaggeration) but they don't know who you are, which is the important difference between this little propaganda piece and reality.
Google is most assuredly not the only company collecting anonymous usage statistics, doing data mining and building profiles and so on. They just happen to be the most efficient at it.
One thing I'll say for sure is that getting the government involved isn't going to make things any better. It never does. If you have a problem with what Google's doing then vote with your feet and your wallet and don't use their products. It's that simple.
Personally, I'm not too worried. Hell, I have an Android with a GPS and I suppose they could theoretically track my every movement. So what? How many people do you already see using apps like Four Square and Twitter, announcing to the entire world every place they go and every time they sit down to take a ? It's so easy to dig up dirt on people without Google - if somebody's going to collect that information anyway then I'd rather it be Google instead of some company I've never heard of.
The more important issue isn't whether or not they're collecting the information but who they're distributing it to. If it's just AdSense, it's really nothing to cry foul over. Even if it's local/federal law enforcement, I'm fine with that (there are very strict rules regarding how law enforcement agents are allowed to use that information). If they decide to start selling it off to the highest bidder, then I'll be worried - but PIPEDA already makes that illegal for them to do, so I doubt it'll happen any time soon.
What Barrie said.
Always enjoy learning your perspective on issues brought up around here.
