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 Where do you go to solve problems, express your concerns, ask
for advice, or seek entertainment? Do you consult friends, family, or professionals? Probably not. Think about what you're
doing right now. You're surfing the Web! More people now use the Internet for information
than ever before. If you want to know the political landscape, read your
horoscope, or learn how to stop your boyfriend from snoring (OK, that's
something I would research), you probably
realize that you can find most answers by searching the Internet.
Maybe I'm alone here, but I'm somewhat paranoid when it
comes to security on the Internet. Like most people, I use search engines –
especially Google. But since reading the book No
Place to Hide, a little voice in the back of my mind reminds me that some
people can access my personal
information and Web searches.
This week, I came across multiple articles about how Google records
searches. The first time I read such an article, I thought "OK, whatever"; however,
as I continued to read more about the subject, I grew more concerned. Some of
you may now be wondering what I have to hide. The answer is simple - "nothing".
I just think that what I search is my business – not Google's.
Immortal Cookies
According to the Nielsen NetRatings, Google was the most
popular search engine in 2006. People like Google's no-nonsense look and product
offerings such as gmail, Google earth, and iGoogle. Google even remembers your
personal preferences and searches. How
does it know? Well, Google was the first search engine to use an "immortal"
cookie. And because of Google's pioneering work with immortal cookies, this
technology has been adopted by other search engines.
Immortal cookies provide your hard disk with a unique
identification number. If your computer doesn't have such a number, then you're
given a cookie with one when you visit a Google web site for the first time. If
you already have a Google cookie, then your identification number is recorded. The
term "immortal" is somewhat misleading since Google now sets cookies to expire
every two years. Nevertheless, these cookies are renewed every time you visit a
Google site.
What Google Knows
About You
When you search Google, the web site records your cookie ID,
your internet IP address, the time
and date of the search, and your browser configuration. But what else does Google
remember about you?
People who get started with Gmail are told that "with 1,000
megabytes of storage, the typical user can go years without deleting a single
message … You never know when you might need a message again, but with
traditional webmail services, you delete it and it's gone forever." In short, Google
is encouraging users to keep their email messages indefinitely. Yet even if you
delete your messages, they remain on a gmail server.
Did you know that after 180 days, email messages lose their
protected communication status under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act
in the United States?
After this time, your messages because just another database record.
Why Does Google Care?
Google servers scan your email so that they can choose the
proper advertising to place beside it. Last week, Google testified before the United
States Senate about its interest in acquiring Doubleclick, the leader in banner
ads. With this acquisition, Google would be able to track search behavior and
inform advertisers about search terms, websites viewed, and your physical
location. This would allow endless opportunities for marketing companies - and maybe even governmental intervention
into our private lives.
Whether Google is the sneaky monster that it's made out to
be is unclear. I use Google search quite extensively because I feel that I get
better results than from any other search engines (note: that is my opinion). Search engines are convenient
because they are easy to use and provide a faster way to access data than
looking up information in reference books, magazines, etc.
When searching, I think it's important to have that little
voice in the back of your mind that reminds you that people can access your information and search
history. After all, knowing is half the battle.
So, what do you think?
- Is Google the "bad guy" people are making it out
to be?
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Why is Google keeping searches?
- What can be done?
Resources:
http://www.slate.com/id/2175651/nav/tap1/
http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156451
http://www.google-watch.org/bigbro.html
http://www.google-watch.org/gifs/delete3.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_and_privacy_issues
http://www.slate.com/id/2175651/nav/tap1/
http://www.google.com/privacypolicy.html
http://whatismyipaddress.com/
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Re: Google Ga Ga: Is Google Playing Big Brother?
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