| Revision as of 16:20, 15 February 2005 editR3m0t (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users4,406 editsm →Criticism and Discussion: added comma← Previous edit | Revision as of 15:49, 14 March 2005 edit undo193.1.186.130 (talk) Removed technically false data (Picassa doesn't use the cookie, cookies don't last forever), added a link to Google-Watch-Watch under the Google-Watch link (pariality) and softened the tone a bitNext edit → | ||
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| ===Information collected by Google=== | ===Information collected by Google=== | ||
| Google uses a unique ] for each individual user. This is submitted every time a user does a Google ], visits a site using ] etc. |
Google uses a unique ] for each individual user. This cookie contains information which allows Google to identify records about that user on its database. This cookie is submitted every time a user does a Google ], visits a site using ] etc. The information stored in Google's database, which is identified by the cookie, includes | ||
| *Everything you search for using Google | *Everything you search for using Google | ||
| *Every web page you visit that has Google Adsense ads on it | *Every web page you visit that has Google Adsense ads on it | ||
| * |
*Every Blogger page you visit | ||
| ⚫ | If you have an Adsense account, the following will also be stored | ||
| *Every Blogger page you visit, and the referring page | |||
| ⚫ | If you have an Adsense account | ||
| *Your full name, address and bank account details | *Your full name, address and bank account details | ||
| *The IP address of everyone who visits your pages with Adsense ads on them | *The IP address of everyone who visits your pages with Adsense ads on them | ||
| Line 18: | Line 17: | ||
| *Purchases in ] | *Purchases in ] | ||
| *Posts through ] | *Posts through ] | ||
| *Photos stored in ] | |||
| *Which news groups you read through ] | *Which news groups you read through ] | ||
| Other information is submitted by Google's utilities, |
Other information is submitted by Google's utilities, such as ]. | ||
| ===Google's stated policies=== | ===Google's stated policies=== | ||
| Line 30: | Line 28: | ||
| ===Criticism and Discussion=== | ===Criticism and Discussion=== | ||
| The main criticisms concerning privacy are: | The main criticisms concerning privacy are: | ||
| * The cookie's expiration date is set in the far future (as long as the standard allows), and this expiration date is updated every time the cookie is accessed. | |||
| * A cookie without expiration date - effectively enabeling Google to connect all traffic to specific users | |||
| * |
* There is no way a user can access or delete her/his user information kept by Google | ||
| * |
* There is no expiration/deletion policy for user information | ||
| * |
* There is no disclosure what the information is used for, e.g. ], targeted offers in affiliated ]s or targeted ] results. | ||
| Google maintains that | Google maintains that | ||
| :''We use cookies to improve the quality of our service and to better understand how people interact with us. Google does this by storing user preferences in cookies and by tracking user trends and patterns of how people search.'' | :''We use cookies to improve the quality of our service and to better understand how people interact with us. Google does this by storing user preferences in cookies and by tracking user trends and patterns of how people search.'' | ||
| Critics, however, argue that user preferences can be stored in non-unique cookies, and that user statistics can be retrieved without referring to individual user statistics. | Critics, however, argue that user preferences can be stored in non-unique cookies, and that user statistics can be retrieved without referring to individual user statistics. | ||
| The collection of information of users is not unique to Google. Other search providers like ] and ], as well as large shopping and auction sites (], ]) apply similar policies. Many argue, that access technologies as ], suggestion services like the ones employed in ... are far more invasive to users' privacy than those employed by Google. This in turn is countered by |
It is possible to delete the Google cookie at any time; however a new cookie and new records will be created the next time you visit Google or use a Google affiliated service. For each web-browser, on each computer you use, a different copy of the cookie will be stored, possibly referring to different records in the Google database. | ||
| The collection of information of users is not unique to Google. Other search providers like ] and ], as well as large shopping and auction sites (], ]) apply similar policies. Many argue, that access technologies as ], suggestion services like the ones employed in ... are far more invasive to users' privacy than those employed by Google. This in turn is countered by mentioning of the ubiquity of Google's search engine, AdSense/AdWords technology and other services giving it a unique wealth of information. | |||
| ====See Also==== | ====See Also==== | ||
| * | * | ||
| *, a site critical of Google's privacy policies | *, a site critical of Google's privacy policies | ||
| *, a site questioning the motivations behind Google Watch | |||
| *, blog about Google's information collection | *, blog about Google's information collection | ||
Revision as of 15:49, 14 March 2005
As the world's biggest search and ad-broker company, Google has drawn its share of criticism and concern about the privacy of its user.
Information collected by Google
Google uses a unique cookie for each individual user. This cookie contains information which allows Google to identify records about that user on its database. This cookie is submitted every time a user does a Google search, visits a site using AdSense etc. The information stored in Google's database, which is identified by the cookie, includes
- Everything you search for using Google
- Every web page you visit that has Google Adsense ads on it
- Every Blogger page you visit
If you have an Adsense account, the following will also be stored
- Your full name, address and bank account details
- The IP address of everyone who visits your pages with Adsense ads on them
- The number of visitors to each of your pages with Adsense ads on them
If you use a GMail account
- Content and addresses of emails and Usenet posts you send or receive in an Gmail account
If you're a member of Orkut
- Your online social network, interests and groups
As well as
- Purchases in Froogle
- Posts through Blogger
- Which news groups you read through Google Groups
Other information is submitted by Google's utilities, such as Google Bar.
Google's stated policies
Google explicitly states it does not share individual users' information with third parties. The whole privacy statement can be read are available online .
US privacy laws concerning Google
to be completed
Criticism and Discussion
The main criticisms concerning privacy are:
- The cookie's expiration date is set in the far future (as long as the standard allows), and this expiration date is updated every time the cookie is accessed.
- There is no way a user can access or delete her/his user information kept by Google
- There is no expiration/deletion policy for user information
- There is no disclosure what the information is used for, e.g. target ads, targeted offers in affiliated shopping sites or targeted search results.
Google maintains that
- We use cookies to improve the quality of our service and to better understand how people interact with us. Google does this by storing user preferences in cookies and by tracking user trends and patterns of how people search.
Critics, however, argue that user preferences can be stored in non-unique cookies, and that user statistics can be retrieved without referring to individual user statistics.
It is possible to delete the Google cookie at any time; however a new cookie and new records will be created the next time you visit Google or use a Google affiliated service. For each web-browser, on each computer you use, a different copy of the cookie will be stored, possibly referring to different records in the Google database.
The collection of information of users is not unique to Google. Other search providers like Yahoo and MSN, as well as large shopping and auction sites (Amazon, Ebay) apply similar policies. Many argue, that access technologies as Microsoft Passport, suggestion services like the ones employed in ... are far more invasive to users' privacy than those employed by Google. This in turn is countered by mentioning of the ubiquity of Google's search engine, AdSense/AdWords technology and other services giving it a unique wealth of information.
See Also
- Google's Privacy Statement
- Google Watch, a site critical of Google's privacy policies
- Google Watch Watch, a site questioning the motivations behind Google Watch
- HubLog, blog about Google's information collection