You’ve Been Googled

Speaking To Death February 5th, 2008

I love Google. I hate Google. I am unequivocally ambivalent about Google.

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I love Google. I hate Google. Hate I am unequivocally ambivalent about Google.
They do so much that is so right… and so wrong.

Maps – they’re great. Google Earth – very cool, not very useful, but cool.
Google video – not as good as Youtube… so they bought Youtube!

Ten years ago they were a dotcom start up that few people had ever even heard of. Now they are a technology powerhouse that seems to be taking over the Internet. Its even become a verb —- you google me! Don’t be that guy. I am that guy. But for all the great things they do, there are still some things about Google I really can’t stand.

Like if you use Gmail – Google’s free web-based email you might not know that they (Google) uses the information they collect from Gmail to find out things about you. They’re like you own private internet stalker – free internet stalker.

It may not sound like really big deal. But it is kind of a violation of you privacy. But its legal. Remember that long legal document you clicked okay after reading and agreeing with it. Or in your case not reading it and agreeing with it anyway? Yeah, in there. Google owns Gmail and all of the content in it. And that includes your email, the ones you send to other people and the emails they send back to you. So even if you wrote it, they own it. And they can data-mine and use the information they find out about you pretty much anyway they want. They know too much.

Now maybe a it doesn’t really bother you that big companies like google violate you and your privacy in small ways. You may feel okay about a private corporation having massive information about you- what you do, who you know, where you have been – cause its all about better service, right? Maybe or maybe its just manipulative advertising. Don’t they make all their money on adwords.

Curse you adwords its like your reading my mind!!!… and I must buy.
But all it takes is one little subpoena and all that information Google collected about you now belongs to the government. So let’s say you are writing a paper on terrorism. You could be flagged and investigated as a terrorist. Thanks Google! No, I am not paranoid. They’re out to get you, not me. I don’t use Gmail.

To be fair, Google’s not the only one doing it either. Most of the big players – Microsoft, Yahoo, Amazon, and others, all collect data about their users. But Google just seems to be more flagrant with their use of data for their own ends…

Google’s motto is “don’t be evil”… But I wonder, is it a reminder for the company to use your information ethically or is it a threat that if don’t behave, they’ll turn you in? Google video, Google Earth, Google whistleblower. If I were you, I’d start shopping for same email that doesn’t spy on you. It’s not a coincidence that there’s double O in Google.

And you know someday they’ll have a Google phone and it’ll be free so you’ll sign up and they’ll record all your calls just in case, you know, you need to listen to ‘em again. Hey, do you use Google phone? Yeah, I’m hanging up. I’ll talk to you when I see you. I am not a terrorist.

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10 Comments

  • 8/19/10 @ 14:24

    The Informant

    Google now has recently opened up Google Voice! It's free, cool... and can record your phone calls. Again, looks like you guys have a crystal ball or something. Amazing!
  • 3/27/10 @ 16:04

    Ingrid [22]

    so... you guys were able to look into the future. Because there IS a google phone now! Only downside? it's not exactly free...
  • 3/27/10 @ 15:25

    Guin

    You know i recently REwatched this ep, and it made me a lil parnoid. So the question came to me? ARE there any email providing sites that wont use your iformation??? If there are could you post them? And thanks @ JackSlice for easing my paranoia just a bit. BTW, im not fluent in Legalese. But can this statement be used against a user? "The provision of the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync functionality to you does not grant, and you do not receive, any rights under any Microsoft intellectual property with respect to any device or software that you use to access such ... lots more
  • 2/14/10 @ 20:45

    JackSlice

    I hate to disagree with you, Brett, but Google does not own anything you have in GMail. (see http://mail.google.com/mail/help/intl/en/legal_notices.html)
  • 11/5/09 @ 18:50

    Ingrid [22]

    Hey Guys. So this has basically been one of my favorite shows! And now today the word has reached me that Google is launching Google dashboard. Or something, which provides users of google services to have insight on what information Google collects About you, and make it dissapear with just ... more
  • 10/5/09 @ 15:00

    kuroe0702

    google phone? yes Jedd your prediction comes alive!! GOOGLE VOICE!! https://www.google.com/voice/ I'm using it and I'm loving it =P lol
  • 7/18/08 @ 7:48

    Allan

    Gmail is GREAT! So much storage space that you don't ever have to delete stuff. That means you can store a lot of emails in there that you feel you might want to refer to in the future, but don't have the guts to delete. Or maybe you're just smart...But that DOES kind of make me nervous that Google OWNS that information. I wonder in what sense they OWN it? I mean, it's still my information, right? Do we have JOINT ownership or what? Joint ownership? Does that mean I'm married to Google? (shudder) My girlfriend's going to be so ... lots more
  • 7/11/08 @ 6:35

    kd

    yeah, i don't use google!
  • 6/25/08 @ 8:59

    Meandering

    I've been stalked, by Google!
  • 5/8/08 @ 15:03

    Mike

    Haha. I freaking love gmail. I guess I never got too worked up about the whole government spying on me thing.

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