 swhx7Premium
join:2006-07-23
Elbonia | New level of data-mining If your ISP farms out its email service to Google, then Google becomes able to match up your searches with the contents of your emails (by IP address even if not by cookies). Then even if you refuse the Google cookies, all your searches and email contents can be put together into a personally identifiable profile.
They may even have your subscriber information (real name, address etc.) in addition to your email contents.
Anyone who already uses GMail doesn't mind Google cookies, perpetual storage of all their emails and data-mining for advertisers. But for those who prefer to opt out it suddenly gets much harder. |
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 intellerSociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK | but wait, didn't google say their motto was "Don't Be Evil?"
my how the times have changed. |
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yabos
join:2003-02-16
London, ON | reply to swhx7
I've noticed that Google keeps you logged in when you leave GMail and go to the search page. No doubt they are tracking what you search and tying it to the info they have in your GMail account. I find this a bit shady so I only use the POP interface to GMail. |
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disc
join:2005-12-31
Raleigh, NC | reply to inteller
said by inteller:but wait, didn't google say their motto was "Don't Be Evil?" my how the times have changed. Evil? I want to use Google's services, plain and simple. If they want to compete by impeding the market (or my usage), then that would be another thing, but that's not how they're operating.
I could imagine that our government would have an interest in getting their hands on personal information in Google's systems. But that doesn't make Google evil. And Google certainly seems to be willing to make a stink about it when the Feds over-reach - compare that to how the Telcos rolled over in the face of unwarranted wire-tapping. |
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 DaneJasperSonic.NetPremium,VIP
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA
kudos:7 | reply to yabos
This kind of gave me the willies:
»www.google.com/history/
-Dane |
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 AlcoholPremium
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI
kudos:3
 ·Comcast
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I doubt some guy is sitting on his desk looking at your searches.
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I found the key to success but somebody changed the lock. |
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 calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA | reply to inteller
"Don't be evil" doesn't mean "Don't hold back from offering new services and opportunities just because somebody might someday use them for evil purposes."
Such an approach ("don't do anything anybody might not like at some time in the future") would have prevented the introduction of the automobile, telephone, photography, etc.
All this hand-wringing over Google reminds me of the early days of the Caller ID debates--where people thought it was a violation of the caller's privacy if someone could know who was calling before picking up the phone--ignoring the privacy rights of the person being called. Sheesh.
If you don't like it, don't use it. But don't keep me from using it just so your paranoia holds me back too.
calvoiper
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VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! |
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Sheesh. Some people see afraid their skeletons gonna come out of the closet.
Hotmail member since 1997 and going... |
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