Google and Privacy

The issue of privacy online is becoming an acute issue - not least because major ISPs such as Google, Yahoo!, and MSN, are able to collect such a wealth of personal data about users of their services - name, gender, location, likes, dislikes, when you look for things, what you look for, what services you use, etc.

Now the issue just took a leap forward, with Google apparently named as refusing to hand over key database information to the US Government, allegedly over online pornography laws.

I’m surprised - it’s well known that Google has strong connections to the US National Security Agency - both in terms of investor relations, and as a source of staff. So it would be easy to presume that a lot of information that Google collects would simply flow into the US government.

Apparently not - but it underlines the significant dangers of privacy protection online.

I’ve been very tempted to crusade for stronger privacy controls online - if people begin to distrust using their information online openly, it could serve to undermine key user targeting techniques such as PPC marketing. Where’s your analytics going to go if customers are hiding their info from tracking?

Certainly the issue of privacy online is headed towards a Tipping Point.