Today's NY Times contains an article with the ominous title: "Frequent Search Engine Users, Google Is Watching and Counting".
Apparently, Google is testing a new counter icon, which displays the message: “You have used Google Search x times,” to users who have conducted a lot of searches over a short period.
Milking the Big Brother aspect to the story, the Times quotes Marc Rotenberg, the executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, as asking: “Do users know that Google is spying on them?”
Further concerns are raised about the way in which Google conducts such “spying”: by placing cookies on users' hard drives – without receiving clear permission to do so.
In the past, Google toolbar users have agreed to let the company collect data on their behaviour (but not on their names or any other identifying information), in return for the free use of advanced features.
However, I must admit I am surprised that Google has now started using cookies, albeit fairly innocuous ones, without requesting user permission. It seems to go against Google’s long held policies of openness and fairness.
Marissa Mayer, Google's director for consumer products, has described the counter as an "experiment"; that is "very new".
I certainly hope this isn't the thin end of the wedge. It would be *extremely* foolish of Google to lose users' trust, having done so well to gain it so quickly and impressively.
I have one other concern about this counter, which wasn't expressed in the Times piece: in general, counters suck. They look bad and give a web page an amateur feel. Site statistics should be kept separate from site content.
Why on earth is Google even exploring this idea?
Comments
2 comments
The common user doesnt even know they are being logged. They dont know what is happening when they type in a search. I think it is not only their right to know about it, yet our responsibility in the web community to expose google for the tradegy of such a great company. I am outraged, by the cookies they are using that log all your information. Lack of privacy is a terrible thing from such a company that is so well known and trusted they, should respect peoples information, If they wanted to do that at least ask the user, and therein resolving our problem. Or have a feature that allows you to delete all your information from there database.
I know now that they already probably have been selling information to advertising companies and other people who may be interested.
That's a direct restriction of privacy.
Please respond to this message, or send me email about it. Until they change their minds about how our information should be properly disposed of. I will currently find other means of search.
Junglemonkey,
As I stated in the article, it's quite worrying that Google is using cookies without first getting the user's permission. I don't really have anything to add to that!
I don't think it's true to say that "they already probably have been selling information to advertising companies and other people who may be interested".
Such a move would seriously tarnish Google's reputation, and I doubt they could keep it secret.