Google can count itself fortunate that a serious privacy storm it caused took place in the run up to Christmas - when most people were otherwise occupied. By altering the behavior of one of its web-services, Google ran foul of its own privacy guarantee - and continues to violate it. Here's what happened. In 2005 Google introduced a web-based RSS reader, in response to Bloglines. Like Bloglines, Google's Reader service permitted users to share their feeds with friends. On December 14, this all changed. Google permitted anyone in your Google contact book to see your "shared" list. Friends, employers and spouses were now able to read a user's RSS inbox. Google cheerfully explained the change here, with the advice, "happy sharing!" There was no option to opt-out of the "feature" - all Google Readers users were opted in by default. This is a major privacy problem. Users pointed out that Google had violated its own Privacy Policy, which reads:
Send the link to your friends and family, they'll be able to read what you've recommended. They can bookmark your page in their browsers for easy access, they can even subscribe to it in Google Reader."
This feels like a decision made by some 23 year old Google employee who thinks everyone wants to be on the latest social networking craze that all of his friends like, like. Google says the data had always been "shared" - only previously, the URL was obfuscated. Whatever that means! As you'd expect, this made things worse. So Google changed the rules mid-game, and opted everyone into the change: Mmm, sounds like Facebook's much slagged advertising program, Beacon, that showed what you'd bought through Amazon.com and eBay. Which was beautifully encapsulated by GMSV's headline - "Honey, that jewelry and lingerie purchase you just made better be for me or you’re dead meat"
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So, I'm up to my neck in Google-Stuff!
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