Thursday, November 06, 2008
Google and Privacy
Mills, Elinor. (2005, July 14). Google balances privacy, reach. Retrieved November 5, 2008, from CNET News.
This article talks about the security and safety of people information online. Google, like other search engines retain your personal information after visiting the website. Google states that this is to better service the customers. When the person comes back to search on Google, Google already know the type of content they are looking for. The article gives reasons why people should trust Google.
"Google uses the log information to analyze traffic in order to prevent people from rigging search results, for blocking denial-of-service attacks and to improve search services," said Nicole Wong, associate general counsel at Google.
"Personally identifiable information that is required for consumers to register for and log in to Google services is not shared with any outside companies or used for marketing, according to Google's privacy policy, except with the consent of the user."
In my opinion people are going to go with what they know. If they have been using Google for a long time and have retained brand loyalty to them than they would find it easy to trust Google with their personal information. Honestly the article states that most search engines are starting to save personal information so Google users might as well stay with them. Every time you get online and type your personal information in there is a risk of someone hacking in and stealing your information. It is the risk you take in using the Internet. My theory is if you don't want to be put in a situation where your personal information may be vandalized than do not insert it on the Internet.
