Thread: 2012 Google Privacy Policy

Just recently Google has updated their privacy policy and sent an email to all of its users that have an active "Google Account", this new privacy policy is geared to take effect as of March 1, 2012.

Most people will probably dismiss this email and delete it due to the proven fact that they do not like to read long boring and legitimately important information that will ultimately effect the way Google handles the information it acquires from all of its users with a Google account, but I like to read, so I will list the most interesting highlights that I have encountered within their short privacy policy, keep in mind that Google has advised that they have truncated their privacy policy, truncating a privacy policy by all means is usually bad news because of the broadness of what it may define, just like S.O.P.A & P.I.P.A, keeping a description of certain "things" short and simple may in fact target a wider verity of definitions than what may "seem" to be implied legally, which is exactly why so many opposed the mentioned bills after revision.

Here are some interesting broad descriptions I have stumbled upon while reading their updated privacy policy.

1) Collected Information:
Sub category > Log information
Sub category > Location information

In laymen terms, Google will attempt to indefinitely gather and archive any information possible including, but not limited to:
1) Your Geographic location - UTM/GPS;
2) Your phone Number and any one you call (I.E., Friends, Co-Workers or Family);
3) Your search quarries, and time of quarry;
4) Internet Access Points.

This means they will build a profile based upon what type of information you seek and tie it to you geographically.

2) How We Use the Information We Collect: Google processes personal information on our servers in many countries around the world. We may process your personal information on a server located outside the country where you live.

This Basically means is that Google is not bound to some legal practices that may be implemented in your county alone, so it has a wider veriety of choices of what it can do with the information depending in which country it decides to process your information.

3) Transparency and choice: Take information out of many of our services.

Clever admittance that you cannot remove any information once they acquire it by stating that you can remove your personal information from many services, not all, which may contain all the information any other service may have had.

4) Access:

1) Whenever you use our services, we aim to provide you with access to your personal information. If that information is wrong, we strive to give you ways to update it quickly or to delete it ? unless we have to keep that information for legitimate business or legal purposes;
2) after you delete information from our services, we may not immediately delete residual copies from our active servers and may not remove information from our backup systems.

As I mentioned above, Google will not be bound to some legal matters depending on what country they decide to process your personal information. They also admit that any information gathered will stay with them for as long as they decide.

5) Information We Share: In this lengthy section Google meticulously describes how they are obligated to share your information with your local government if fraud, terrorism or any malicious intention is detected such as a security threat to your country, state or government.

Looks like I'm deleting all my google related shit except for my youtube account. Already have chrome disabled from accessing my location.

http://www.google.com/transparencyreport/

basically, if you happen to become a suspect for some reason, and regular ol' people have in the past, google will just hand it over. I'm sorry but I would like a little more privacy that is all. I know some dumb ignorant fucks will act like googles data gathering is no big deal but it's basically the equivalent of a real life stalker tracking what you do and writing down your every move. they say it's to "better your internet experience" but who are they kidding?

That sucks because i like google products, more the internet go less privacy you have.
But its the same for all big companies, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Mozilla they all gathering personal info against your will.

Now it's seem to me that Google is both friend and threat to my privacy. Any suggestion what can hackers do. I am worried about the google search only. It knows what I search everyday.

I lol'd, I've actually cancelled an account before and posted something like that while doing so.

What is a little strange about this is the time of when it has happened, Google does not usually send every one with a Gmail account an email saying things like this, I don't know but I speculate some government intrusion within the company has prompted the change in the wakes of the seizure of Megaupload.com by a federal grand jury, the idea that something new that has been passed by congress with a low public key that allows for elevated heavy handedness by the fed is not that far in the back in my head.

I've over 100 pics about chrome/browsers trolling

I use Opera mostly. YOu?

Might look into Opera, last time I used it, it was so cut down, basically "browse the net" without all the shitty garbage features. Gonna install it now and give it a test run