Google Says Privacy Doesn't Exist, Get Used To Everyone Knowing Everything About You

Google Says Privacy Doesn't Exist, Get Used To Everyone Knowing Everything About You

www.informationweek.co m

The headline practically says it all. Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is being sued by a Pittsburgh couple for posting images of its house on the Internet in Google's Street Views pages. Google responded, in court no less, that complete privacy simply doesn't exist in today's world and the couple should stop crying about it.

Google may be right, in theory. It said in papers filed with the court, "Today's satellite image technology means that even in today's desert, complete privacy does not exist." ...

(visit the link for the full news article)

What's your take on the issue? Personally, I believe that there's nothing that can be done about the government doing whatever spy work they need to do with satellites (as if we could stop them anyway), but I have found it a bit creepy to have the ability to say, go view an old friend's house and see what in that person's backyard.

www.informationweek.co m
(visit the link for the full news article)

It is truly the dawn of a new age, that's all I have to say about that.

Google will probably win this case. If not, they'll settle for some insignificant amount (for Google), and probably have to blip the folks' house out on google earth.

They should really just offer an opportunity for anyone to request their property be blipped out, by a form on the internet or something. It would put a stop to this issue entirely. They did it for Dick Cheney, after all.

reply to post by drwizardphd


That's a good idea. They could announce on the major news networks of a fill-in form to black out their areas when the magnification is within the "privacy" visual range.

No more input? Or has this topic been discussed to death before? I know people must have opinions about this.

I have mixed feelings about it but I don't want to elaborate because, er, they're personal. Like some things in my back yard, I'm not comfortable sharing everything because somethings need sorting out. I use a filtered form of google for everyday searches and when I do use google it's just for maps. Power always seems to corrupt.

reply to post by SonicInfinity


I think both sides are stupid. I can just imagine the personalities of these two (probably a lawyer couple) who are looking to make some money out of nothing. On the other hand, what to say about google, essential part of our lives which is fast becoming a megacorp which makes money from spying on us in different ways. Both sides make me want to puke.

The word 'spying' seems to be thrown around a lot when it comes to discussion of googles image services.
The fact is, every picture or map google offers to the public can be obtained by other means; in the case of Streetview it's the equavalent of taking a picture of the house with your own camera, something that is totally legal in every western country.

Its true that we hardly live in a private world anymore, and the Government have the ability to use satellites and wot not to 'keep tabs' on us.

However, this should not mean that commercial companies should be aloud to do the same. e.g Google Earth.

On the other hand though You Tube (owned by Google). Have been on the flip side of the coin. Viacom launched and I think won a lawsuit against them so they have to release all the details, IP addresses and which videos users have watched on their account. (There is a thread on this topic).

Its all swings and roundabouts,

Personally I hope to keep as much privacy as I can, not for any underhand reasons, just the fact that being human somethings are our own. If we cant stop the Governments then we should at least try to stop corporate and commercial entities from doing the same.

Peace

edit spelling

[edit on 2/8/2008 by LestatG]

reply to post by SonicInfinity




Oh please...
Is the "you" that Google (or, more likely, some semi-literate journalist) is talking about really THAT simple?
Is that "you" an amoeba?

Human beings are immensely complex. Even the very many individuals that are easy prey to stereotypical modes of thinking and living are more complex than the Enigma code - and look how many people and effort it took to crack that one!

If what they mean are sheer "facts" - your vital statistics, your general tastes, your sexual proclivities (assuming they drive your internet activities) - that would still be just the tip of the iceberg of what REALLY drives you.

To find out what really makes you tick, assuming anyone is interested, a team of highly talented individuals - or at least A highly talented individual - would have to devote their professional life to studying "YOU", with inevitably incomplete and mixed results... and all for WHAT?

That's the main point, in my opinion (and the reason why I find worrying about "Big Brother" so laughable). Even in the unthinkably remote possibility that somebody would "crack" your innermost drives and desires - and THEY are the ones that really matter - what would they do about it?
WHO would be the "they" that would even think doing anything about it?

COULD they do anything about it?

Not in the present state of democracy (however faulty it is - or seems to be).

And that's the important thing, in my opinion: the fact that, even if somebody would know everything about "you" (which is a utopian possibility), it's what they could - or rather, could NOT - do about it that matters.

I think it gets scary when the everyday person (or stalker) knows which sites you lurk on, knows what searches you've made, knows all of your usernames and know everything you've ever posted.
I wouldn't want all of my friends to know that much about me, not because I have anything terrible to hide, but simply because I love my privacy.
Sure i'm not to worried about big brother watching my every move, I'm not doing anything interesting anyway. But when everyone can get this information it gets tricky, for me atleast.
Imagine that you just had an abortion for reasons Entirely your own, completely private, and then all of your nabours knows it because you posted your feelings about the issue somewhere, perhaps to get comfort because you cant get it in your imidiate surroundings or maybe you didn't want anyone to know.

reply to post by Vanitas


It's hard to respond to somebody talking in a condescending manner, but I'll try.

In the world you are talking about, you're pretty much saying anybody can know anything about you with no negative consequences. So, let's use some examples to see how your would feel about your "privacy" in a given situation.

· You're having sex with your fiancé and somebody is recording it. In the interest of openness, they put that video on the Internet, and it is talked about on the local news later. Everybody in your neighborhood has now seen you two having sex, and knows about certain "preferences" each one of you has. How would you feel about your privacy?

· Your mother is in the hospital, diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Due to an unexplained mutation in the cancer, many doctors are interested in it. Nearing your mother's death, newscasters begin to get interested and come from around the globe to film your mother's death and see how the mutation has an effect on it. How would your mother feel about her privacy? How would you feel?

· Your son, age 15, and daughter, age 14, are going to the same school. On the first day of the week, your daughter is having a bit of a "problem". She asks her brother what it could be, and he doesn't know, so, in a state of desperation, your daughter goes to the restroom with her brother to tell him in private. Unfortunately, this is the time when her period starts, and blood involuntarily flows. The brother, being somewhat mature, tells her what is wrong and starts to help clean it up. A group of girls come in and see the situation, and since they have not had their periods yet, they instantly think of a different option - the brother had just beat the sister and made her bleed. They run out of the bathroom screaming and yelling, and the principal, unsympathetic to woman beaters, doesn't listen to the brother and takes him away. The sister, scared, doesn't say anything. The brother tells them to look at the cameras in the restroom for proof, but the cameras are all out-of-order. After a small trial, the brother is sentenced to 3 months in Juvenile Prison with 2 months of anger management training afterward. This entire incident is made public throughout the school, and the local news picks it up, since it fills a slot in their program. How would the brother and sister feel about their privacy? How would you feel?

These examples a little bit extreme, but they show that zero privacy is NEVER a good thing. Each person needs their own level of privacy, and every person in the world having the ability to view their backyard and seeing what they're having for dinner that night is a little too much for some people.

reply to post by SonicInfinity


I am sorry you find my discourse condescending.
I am sorry because it was certainly not meant to be condescending.
My humour at the time of writing was lighthearted.
(And I am certainly not going to apologise for that.)
That's what happens when people respond to »templates« (to condescensions past, as it were) instead of responding to individuals.

I am not blaming you. I am not blaming anyone.
But it is a good opportunity to remark upon the danger that lies in applying »templates« from one's own past to unknown individuals. It's THAT what makes the work of »Big Brother« (assuming there is one) much easier than it should have been.
It's the stereotypes of all kinds, including the very intimate - and sometimes difficultly avoidable - ones (the ones that I call »templates« here, in this context) what entraps people in molds that are relatively easy to interpret - AND manipulate.

Know what I am saying...?

All the best to you.


P.S. For the benefit of anyone who might be reading this I'd like to add just one more observation from my admittedly rich experience: the more you speak the truth, only the truth, and nothing but the truth (even if you do it, like I do, only because you're lazy and spoilt )... the more people will find you »mysterious«. A person without a mask – or a set of masks – turns out to be the Sphinx itself in other people's eyes.

It's true.
Think about it. ;-)







[edit on 2-8-2008 by Vanitas]

Heh, well Ive known since the 90's that nsa had the means to look into your windows.

Why would google with all its billion about Gillions, of cash flow be any less intrusive.

Dont like it, Just build a huge farday cage, Or a fake movie set screen, lol or you can go live underground,

all are great choices in my Unexpert opinion.

Either or, We lost our privacy once we Hooked our Phones into the phone jack.

Originally posted by Vanitas
Know what I am saying...?

All the best to you.

A person without a mask – or a set of masks – turns out to be the Sphinx itself in other people's eyes.

It's hard to tell what you're trying to say when you didn't even address my question and your post is made of 98% fluff.