Comments on: Google responds to E.U. Working Party letter http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/ neat fun stuff Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:55:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: SEO Novice http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-108630 SEO Novice Sat, 14 Jul 2007 17:37:19 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-108630 Privacy ?? i feel Mutt will knok on my door every second ;) Privacy ?? i feel Mutt will knok on my door every second ;)

]]> By: Thomas Auge http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-107916 Thomas Auge Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:41:48 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-107916 Google and privacy ... such a delicious topic. Being an old school system administrator myself, I am a serious data pack rat. Data deleted is data wasted. Now personally I don't care if it's John Does last will or some useless babble, deleting it just seems wrong. It also goes without saying that I would not share any critical data with the outside world. But that's all easy to say, because naturally I trust myself. I can relate to google's practice, but can I trust them? It's an interesting thing to think about. Google has some of the best techies on the planet and I would expect the same way of thinking from them. But the stale taste it leaves will cause me to reevaluate my own practices. Interesting indeed. Google and privacy … such a delicious topic. Being an old school system administrator myself, I am a serious data pack rat. Data deleted is data wasted. Now personally I don’t care if it’s John Does last will or some useless babble, deleting it just seems wrong. It also goes without saying that I would not share any critical data with the outside world. But that’s all easy to say, because naturally I trust myself.
I can relate to google’s practice, but can I trust them? It’s an interesting thing to think about. Google has some of the best techies on the planet and I would expect the same way of thinking from them. But the stale taste it leaves will cause me to reevaluate my own practices.

Interesting indeed.

]]> By: Worthless http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-107220 Worthless Thu, 28 Jun 2007 03:21:25 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-107220 I thought trends was supposed to be updated every month? And updated daily for hot topics. I see NO DATA past Feburary 2007. When will this be updated??? I thought trends was supposed to be updated every month? And updated daily for hot topics. I see NO DATA past Feburary 2007. When will this be updated???

]]> By: lots0 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106847 lots0 Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:00:09 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106847 Dougie, do you have your head stuck in the sand? Here are just a few recent news stories... http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/media/google+privacy+row/568612 http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/government-law/legislation/news/index.cfm?newsid=3584 http://www.market-day.net/article_79121/20070618/EU:-Google-privacy-changes-not-enough.php http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_6162894 http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/115959/google-chief-privacy-could-be-a-problem.html those are Just a few of the THOUSANDS of news stories about privacy and google in the last month... I won't even list any of the hundred of thousands of blogs that are currently discussing the subject of privacy and google... But a simple search will confirm what I 'm saying. Not internet wide... Your wrong. Dougie, do you have your head stuck in the sand?
Here are just a few recent news stories…
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/media/google+privacy+row/568612

http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/government-law/legislation/news/index.cfm?newsid=3584

http://www.market-day.net/article_79121/20070618/EU:-Google-privacy-changes-not-enough.php

http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_6162894

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/115959/google-chief-privacy-could-be-a-problem.html

those are Just a few of the THOUSANDS of news stories about privacy and google in the last month…

I won’t even list any of the hundred of thousands of blogs that are currently discussing the subject of privacy and google… But a simple search will confirm what I ‘m saying.

Not internet wide… Your wrong.

]]> By: Doug Heil http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106797 Doug Heil Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:41:15 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106797 "If a LOT of people didn’t have privacy concerns there would not be internet wide discussion about the subject." I only see this being discussed in this thread and on threadwatch. Please let me know where all other discussions are taking place as I don't see the "internet-wide" concerns that some people seem to see. :) I know it's not being discussed in my forums as it's not an issue for my members that I know of. I just think there are far more priority concerns with the internet in general and with OUR industry in general. Of course, this is my opinion, but I sure am sticking to it. :) “If a LOT of people didn’t have privacy concerns there would not be internet wide discussion about the subject.”

I only see this being discussed in this thread and on threadwatch. Please let me know where all other discussions are taking place as I don’t see the “internet-wide” concerns that some people seem to see. :) I know it’s not being discussed in my forums as it’s not an issue for my members that I know of. I just think there are far more priority concerns with the internet in general and with OUR industry in general. Of course, this is my opinion, but I sure am sticking to it. :)

]]> By: lots0 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106788 lots0 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:01:59 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106788 Doug Heil Said, June 18, 2007 @ 6:11 pm "Worrying about this privacy stuff is about the farthest concern and priority that I can think of with Google." For you maybe Dougie. However, a LOT of people have valid concerns over these privacy issues. If a LOT of people didn't have privacy concerns there would not be internet wide discussion about the subject. But the fact is the privacy issue is an important issue for a lot of people and the more people that become aware of the privacy issue the more become interested in it. Doug Heil Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 6:11 pm
“Worrying about this privacy stuff is about the farthest concern and priority that I can think of with Google.”

For you maybe Dougie.
However, a LOT of people have valid concerns over these privacy issues.

If a LOT of people didn’t have privacy concerns there would not be internet wide discussion about the subject. But the fact is the privacy issue is an important issue for a lot of people and the more people that become aware of the privacy issue the more become interested in it.

]]> By: Doug Heil http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106712 Doug Heil Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:11:02 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106712 lotso wrote: "Your policies on releasing data to different government agencies across the globe? Are you going to treat a request for data from Iran or Bosnia the same as a request from China or Canada?" That should be easy. Google gives data to "other" country governments when they want to do so. Iran? I don't think they "ever" would do that. LOL Not real sure what the "real" issues are though. It seems to me people are just flat out paranoid and scared. I'm more scared of the hidden cameras at the town intersection who catch me "necking" with my lady.... and maybe other things... they even have my plate number, make of car; so they then they also know "exactly" where I live and what my cat's name is. Now that's a real concern for me. :) We have NO idea who the heck has all of that private info about us, right? It could be the 6 buck an hour clerk who moonlights as the downtown street walker. Worrying about this privacy stuff is about the farthest concern and priority that I can think of with Google. lotso wrote:

“Your policies on releasing data to different government agencies across the globe? Are you going to treat a request for data from Iran or Bosnia the same as a request from China or Canada?”

That should be easy. Google gives data to “other” country governments when they want to do so. Iran? I don’t think they “ever” would do that. LOL

Not real sure what the “real” issues are though. It seems to me people are just flat out paranoid and scared. I’m more scared of the hidden cameras at the town intersection who catch me “necking” with my lady…. and maybe other things… they even have my plate number, make of car; so they then they also know “exactly” where I live and what my cat’s name is. Now that’s a real concern for me. :) We have NO idea who the heck has all of that private info about us, right? It could be the 6 buck an hour clerk who moonlights as the downtown street walker.

Worrying about this privacy stuff is about the farthest concern and priority that I can think of with Google.

]]> By: lots0 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106688 lots0 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:34:02 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106688 From the Google Response Letter. [quote]We are therefore committed to data protection principles that meet the expectations of our users in Europe and across the globe. This commitment includes clear privacy policies and absolute transparency about our data retention practices so that users are well-informed about the data we collect when they use our services.[/quote] That will be a great step forward when it happens. I will be looking forward to this happening. But right now you have to admit your policies are far from being transparent. What is the difference in data retention policies between registered google users and those that don't wish to register for your services and just want to use your search engine? Exactly how does google plan on going about anonymizing server logs? Your policies on releasing data to different government agencies across the globe? Are you going to treat a request for data from Iran or Bosnia the same as a request from China or Canada? None of these issues are 'transparent' at the moment. From the Google Response Letter.
[quote]We are therefore committed to data protection principles that meet the expectations of our users in Europe and across the globe. This commitment includes clear privacy policies and absolute transparency about our data retention practices so that users are well-informed about the data we collect when they use our services.[/quote]
That will be a great step forward when it happens. I will be looking forward to this happening.

But right now you have to admit your policies are far from being transparent.

What is the difference in data retention policies between registered google users and those that don’t wish to register for your services and just want to use your search engine?

Exactly how does google plan on going about anonymizing server logs?

Your policies on releasing data to different government agencies across the globe? Are you going to treat a request for data from Iran or Bosnia the same as a request from China or Canada?

None of these issues are ‘transparent’ at the moment.

]]> By: TomFrog http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106668 TomFrog Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:32:51 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106668 Hi Matt! Funny Spam Control! I work at a hosting company and we also have to deal with privacy issues and I always find them related to security issues and sometimes there's a conflict. How do we balance spam control and email privacy? The amount of information available in a log file is limited, but privacy issues do appear. And when there's a local exploit, and a hacker uploads a false paypal site, those same logs, that raise privacy issues, suddenly become important to the policy agencies and even to consumers. You point at the coin and cry "privacy attack". You flip the coin and you find that it defends your security. Where do we draw the line? That's the issue. And how can we conciliate all those values? Privacy, security, functionality. Every hosting client wants to look at stats and adapt his strategy to what he finds in those stats. If an e-commerce shop looks at their stats and changes their advertising campaign and saves 10% of it's budget, will that hurt consumers? No, it will benefit them. Lower costs, lower prices. Joseph, when google looks at a log, I don't think they want to know what YOU did on day x or day y. They want to look at trends. Hi Matt! Funny Spam Control!

I work at a hosting company and we also have to deal with privacy issues and I always find them related to security issues and sometimes there’s a conflict.

How do we balance spam control and email privacy? The amount of information available in a log file is limited, but privacy issues do appear. And when there’s a local exploit, and a hacker uploads a false paypal site, those same logs, that raise privacy issues, suddenly become important to the policy agencies and even to consumers. You point at the coin and cry “privacy attack”. You flip the coin and you find that it defends your security. Where do we draw the line? That’s the issue. And how can we conciliate all those values? Privacy, security, functionality.

Every hosting client wants to look at stats and adapt his strategy to what he finds in those stats. If an e-commerce shop looks at their stats and changes their advertising campaign and saves 10% of it’s budget, will that hurt consumers? No, it will benefit them. Lower costs, lower prices.

Joseph, when google looks at a log, I don’t think they want to know what YOU did on day x or day y. They want to look at trends.

]]> By: Kris http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106585 Kris Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:55:09 +0000 http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-responds-to-eu-working-party-letter/#comment-106585 I guess it is ok depending on how the information is used. What are the reasons for doing this? I guess it is ok depending on how the information is used. What are the reasons for doing this?

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