Google is a powerful company and most people use Google to search for anything and everything on the internet.
So when I hear that France is having issues with Google’s Privacy Policy enacted this year, that could lead to some problems. The France regulators are questioning whether or not Google’s privacy policy complies with the data protection laws of France. Google stands by their policy stating that it respects the French’s protection laws. But it is not only France who has issues with this policy, Brazil is now questioning how Google uses personal data. All of these conflicts may not be close to home, but they still make a difference and could affect business done in the United States.
Think about what Google’s Privacy Policy mean for us. If France and Brazil make enough of a stir, Google may be forced to change their policy. This policy will be in effect for all of the world, not just those particular countries. So what is the big uproar all about? Well, people are questioning what Google is doing with personal information and how it could be shared with others. So to understand what the policy entails, we have outlined the changes below.
1. Google now integrates your information from your profile, e-mail, and YouTube videos. That means if someone knows your e-mail address they may be able to see your picture or name from your profile.
2. Advertising is now centered around your preferences and tailored to each individual based on the information Google gathers about you.
3. Your information may be shared with Google’s advertisers or connected sites, but Google states that no personal information will be given out and it is all anonymous only used to analyze trends.
4. Your information will be stored in order to keep track of bugs and to further analyze user activity.
There are many ways you could interpret these changes, but the main thing to understand is that your privacy may be compromised. Most people don’t take the time to read over the privacy policies, but keep in mind that whatever you put on the internet is out there for the world to see. My advice would be to post wisely.
information from: nytimes.com, mashable.com, reuters.com
image source: modernl.com
