Image via CrunchBase
So recently Google has revamped their privacy policy. And wouldn’t you know it they are easily profiting off of all the data people give them by using their services. Now I know their are several companies that do this, take Facebook for example. However, how Facebook and Google obtain data on you are two different ways. Facebook can be seen as evil and what not but in the end Facebook only knows as much as you tell them while using Facebook. Google on the other hand obtains data on you without you really knowing it. Now I know both sell the data they have to 3rd parties which in return they buy ad space which helps bring revenue to both companies. However, Facebook takes the high road, by only releasing what you either allowed or just provided to Facebook. Google, man the minute you use anything that is developed by Google, they are already collecting data on you. You only use Google search, well Google has now installed a cookie on your computer and is tracking and collecting data on you. Want to use Google Chrome cause you hear it’s fast, well have fun using a fast browser as all your activity is now being collected for Google to use and profit off of without your say. Have an android phone, guess what Google knows more about you than you probably know yourself.
Now I don’t mean to rag only on Google for doing this but Google has taken the steps to actually be considered ‘evil’ more so than Microsoft, Apple, or even Facebook could ever be. Why? Well it’s simple, when several governing bodies decided that a ‘Do Not Track’ option should be available to end users, like me and you, Google was and is still one of the biggest opponents to this type of regulation because it would force Google to have to start getting your explicit permission to collect data on you.
Now I can’t have an article without bring up Apple, as Steve Jobs once said: That “Don’t be evil” slogan Google’s known for? “Bullshit”. And guess what, Steve Jobs was right. If you go try to discover details about how Apple tries to remain a consumer business rather than just a business that is the one difference between Google and Apple. Now I’m not saying Apple isn’t ‘evil’ because seriously Apple does do things like any other big company does that usually benefits them more so than the end user, but Apple has one advantage over Google and that is that Apple doesn’t sell my data nor anyone else’s to a 3rd party for ad space so they can make a profit. Apple instead really does try to make money through selling products which Microsoft does as well. Looking for information about how Apple was able to get magazines to agree to a subscription or how Apple managed to get movies or TV shows on the iTunes store, one thing remained constant: Apple doesn’t share the data they have collected with anyone besides themselves. As Steve Jobs once said: Apple has a responsibility to the customer, that customer being the consumer, that they can’t just freely sell out their customers’ data to every company that wants it. Apple has a duty to keep themselves in a good and favorable light with their customers and that means Apple must make sure they don’t profit from selling their customers’ data to other companies. Google on the other hand could care less, as Google will continue to argue that they don’t make a profit off of providing all the products (software) they release to everyone but they do make a profit from ad space. But you can’t really be the person that a company wants to trust unless they know you will give them everything they need and that means information on the customers you already have in your system. So without Google providing all their products for free and convincing everyone that their products are the best, when they aren’t, they are able to continue to collect data on everyone as if we were nothing more than a number with $$$ in front.
If Google wants to continue saying they ‘Do No Evil’ they might want to add some more information so that slogan such as ‘Do No Evil, only when we aren’t selling your information’. I’d rather give my data to Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook than give it to Google because at least with those three companies I know what information I’m giving them and what companies (if any) they will be selling my information to.
Related articles
- Google Says Bye Bye to User Privacy (forbes.com)
- You Call That Evil? (techcrunch.com)
- ‘Don’t Be Evil’ gives Google possible antitrust cover (business.financialpost.com)
- Mat Honan: Google’s broken promise: the end of “don’t be evil” (nextlevelofnews.com)
- Google’s Broken Promise (gizmodo.com)
- Don’t Be Evil add-on fixes Google search (canada.com)
- Privacy uproar as Google unveils new ‘one-size fits all’ policy across YouTube, search and Gmail (dailymail.co.uk)
- It’s Official: Google Is Evil Now (gizmodo.com.au)
Filed under: Uncategorized , apple, Don't be evil, electronics, facebook, microsoft, Steve Jobs, tech
