New Google privacy policy and the fallout
The privacy changes announced by Google yesterday will come into effect March 1, 2012 and will essentially combine everything you do into one set of personalized knowledge. Google will use this information to customize the search experience, both paid ads and unpaid organic results. But they won’t stop there, the entire Google ecosystem will have this knowledge, so YouTube results can reflect your preferences, ads shown during Gmail sessions will use it, Android apps selected for you in the App Market can use it, recommended Google+ users can be based on it… the list goes on and on.
I feel justified in using the term “you” rather than “the user” when discussing Google tools and properties because, really, is there anyone who does not use them? Be honest. This change, for better or worse, affects Internet usage for everyone. Maybe as much as the ongoing gTLD name changes. Maybe more.
Media firestorm
The current media firestorm is centered on the fact that you cannot opt-out of this data sharing across Google’s platforms. Google says to CNN that this is because it’s “too difficult” but that seem disingenuous. I mean, really, Google can take Billions of data items from around the globe and search them in milliseconds, or build an infrastructure that is always up (you paying attention, RIM?), or build an advertising platform that generated $38 Billion in 2011, but they can’t give you the option to opt-out of data sharing across their platforms?
- To get a quick overview of the issue, CNN reported in a concise video.
- A somewhat longer piece from Google’s blog incorporates an intro video that describes the changes in the policy in rather optimistic and simplistic terms
- An article on InformationWeek highlights the lack of opt out
Google needs to navigate the immediate, knee-jerk, reaction to this change carefully. They are under an antitrust probe and anything that makes them look more monopolistic will be interpreted negatively.
But users will probably like it
Most actual users will probably like the changes. I don’t know if I’m in the minority here, but I actually like seeing ads that are relevant to my interests and searches, and the more accurate they are the better I like them. Usability testing often shows a gap between what people say and what they do and this could easily be one of those cases. Will the technology pundits who decry the lack of control actually stop using Google? I doubt it.
And, there is a simple way to keep your data from being shared. Don’t log in. We will see if Google’s motto: “Don’t be Evil” will cause them to use their powers for good.
Will ad click-throughs improve? We’ll see
The truly interesting piece will come after March 1 when we may start seeing changes in the relevance, and click-through rates for ads. Stay tuned.
Of course, personally I welcome our new data overlords (this post will be indexed by Google as soon as I publish it, and I’m always logged in, so I need to play nice).
