Google’s invasion of privacy held to account

Such a difficult issue privacy as the amount of data we release had just exploded in recent years. The key seems to be how to find a balance between making the most of new techonologies and yet preserving some sense of personal identity. Easier said than done but vital if we are not to lose our faith in some amazing technologies!

Zzzz. Where's the evidence that anyone has been harmed by this? Nowhere, because there isn't any. Wake me up when they've all gone home.

Internet privacy is a real threat to our lives. I’ve worked in this area and done a lot of research. I can’t stress enough just how careful home users should be about protecting their privacy online. Take Microsoft as just one example of this. When you ‘buy’ a Microsoft (MS) operating system, you aren’t actually buying it at all, just using it under MS licence. If you read the EULA (End User Licencing Agreement) this is confirmed. MS can (and do) install updates even though you have switched off auto update and they can (and do) break through your firewall and have a look at your computer and your personal files.

The majority of sites on the web are continually following your browsing and some of them attempt to log your keystrokes and find out your credit card and other financial and personal details. There’s plenty of evidence that users are harmed by invasion of privacy.

Ordinary people who think this is ‘pie in the sky’ are deluding themselves!

I’ve enjoyed following my sister round New Zealand and my Niece round Australia, though some of the Google images are probably years old. I could tell them where to get their fish and chips! It’s like having several post cards from them all at once. I am disturbed by the fact that Google routinely logs my search requests. They must have trillions of pieces of data in store, but I don’t want them to have mine. It’s as if someone was opening my letters for me and then passing them over for me to read. If they do it, who else does? It’s why I don’t bank on line and why I chew my nails every time I make a purchase. I’ve had good rail tickets, a mobile battery which was unavailable elsewhere and some lovely sheep skin products, but each time I tap my card details in I think of all those crooks who are just waiting to empty my account for me, especially those who defeat my security software (reported in the latest Which.) If I want people to know my business, I’ll write another comment here and tell them. To all those nosey parkers out there..mind your own!