Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sat 4th Feb 2012 14:53 UTC, submitted by bowkota
"A group of European regulators has written to Google calling on it to halt the introduction of its new privacy policy, saying it needs to investigate whether the proposals sufficiently protect users' personal data." I'd rather regulators are on top of this now than when it's too late and we're all plugged into the Google Hivemind Overlord.
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Member since:2006-01-08
Member since:2005-06-29
Because we have to have the government regulate EVERYTHING.
This isn't about regulation. This is about ensuring no EU citizens are harmed. While I personally do not believe there's anything wrong with this change, I'd rather my government keeps close tabs on large corporations.
God forbid this place turns into America.
Member since:2009-07-18
Since when is it a bad thing that a government protects the interests of its citizens? Isn't that the very core purpose of a government: to represent us? For the people, by the people. It may not always be perfect, but it's definitely a whole lot better than the "for the corps, by the corps" attitude we see elsewhere.
Member since:2008-06-03
Dunno about the EU situation, but part of the reason Google's been getting a lot of heat from US legislators is because their "opt-out" options and pages seem very cryptic (to the average user) and sketchy. I think most people want a single "do not mine my data in any way, shape or form" option for them to tick.
At least, that's the impression I'm getting. Maybe it's a similar opinion in the EU.
Member since:2005-12-18
Google at least offer a opt-out and bother themselves to explain the changes that they made on their privacy policy.
This is already a way more then a very large amount of big online services does for its users. Indeed, sometimes they do not even notify you about the changes, use a auto opt-in policy, and automatically changes back all you privacy options that you may have made to a default one when a new feature comes out quietly.
Member since:2009-02-02
Dunno about the EU situation, but part of the reason Google's been getting a lot of heat from US legislators is because their "opt-out" options and pages seem very cryptic (to the average user) and sketchy. I think most people want a single "do not mine my data in any way, shape or form" option for them to tick.
At least, that's the impression I'm getting. Maybe it's a similar opinion in the EU.
At least, that's the impression I'm getting. Maybe it's a similar opinion in the EU.
Lets not forget that Microsoft is the main reason why Google has been catching flack from authorities lately. Microsoft and a group of its partners have been lobbying very hard for Google to be investigated.
Member since:2006-03-23
Member since:2006-01-06
And why can't users who get that rather obvious "We've changed things!" screen not just read the new privacy policy and decide for themselves? Don't like the policy... take your data and go elsewhere.
Because Google has a monopoly on search. It can't leverage that monopoly into other markets (e.g. mail, social, etc) and use those other markets to "enhance" search with irrelevant results that hinder privacy.
At the end of the day, Google is doing this because its efforts in the social network space have been lackluster, and it wants to force you to use their service. by tying the various services together.
Edited 2012-02-04 23:43 UTC
Member since:2005-12-18
At the end of the day, Google is doing this because its efforts in the social network space have been lackluster, and it wants to force you to use their service. by tying the various services together.
Several different privacy policies do not stop any company to integrate their services, not even a bit.
By the end of day, they still can change 200 different contracts quietly, shove it in their users, and opt-in everyone in a new service.
Member since:2005-07-06
Because Google has a monopoly on search. It can't leverage that monopoly into other markets (e.g. mail, social, etc) and use those other markets to "enhance" search with irrelevant results that hinder privacy.
Google’s pushing of Chrome on their home page is leveraging their monopoly and imo, frankly an antitrust issue.
But them merging accounts you willfully signed up to together to make it easier for them and you, is not…
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Member since:
2005-07-08
And why can't users who get that rather obvious "We've changed things!" screen not just read the new privacy policy and decide for themselves? Don't like the policy... take your data and go elsewhere.