Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

Thanks! :)

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

If Google would be a person it would be considered evil!

Collecting that much userdata and telling "I'm not using it but I like to collect them!" is not much good in a BigBrother world. The most user doesnt care but I do! ICQ has written in its policy that everything you send then belongs to ICQ, did not see this at google's yet but it is a US company seeking for money and I didnt see any GOOD US company seeking for money yet. I still wait to find my emails by google search some day like "ooops we opened all mailboxes and all your friend-lists to the public... 'by accident'.
and for apple on this way: If I had bought an iPOD I would have used it to build a chemical weapon or at least some kind of huge rocket!
thats part of their policy...

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

Wow... so many "Google provides free blabla, so it can't be evil" post. Never read something like this before.

Makes me think of Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, who said: " Happy slaves are the grimmest enemies of freedom." (If 'grimmest' is an English word... I hate to translate such things using dict.leo.org ;) ...)

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

Good quote.

When a company starts dictating to the likes of Europe just how long it will keep data then it has clearly putting it's own objectives over the will of the people. That's "evil". Underhanded techniques to capture user data is "evil". Not giving you the right easily view and edit data held about you is "evil".

The fact that we are even discussing it here, as many others are doing elsewhere, shows there is growing doubt about Google's intentions. The most evil element in all of this would be not debating the issue openly and if governments around the world don't act sooner rather than later to ensure Google acts within the law and/or create laws to force Google to act in a socially responsible manner. IOW's you and I are the evil ones unless we actively participate in ensuring Google does not become the Big Brother company of the future or even the little-brother hiding behind the scenes.

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

Google is an advertising company which you can avoid if you wish.

My local grocery offers discounts to those who use an identification card. The card is free but if I use it to get the discounts it does allow them to capture my purchases. Is it evil? I would argue no. Like any buying decision, it is my choice. I can pay extra for privacy or give up privacy for the discounts.

With Google, I can avoid them for privacy or give up privacy for convenience. It's still my choice.

Maemo.org knows every time I log in, what forums I visit, which threads I read and which I respond to, and it can tie it all to my email account. Is this evil as well?

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

You need a lot of technical knowledge to do this.
You would first need to be aware of Google Analytics (which most people aren't), then know how to block it.

Then you'd have to realize how Google Ads on various web pages you visit work. That they're not just something that is "broadcast" to you like a TV commercial or a print ad. (That's what the average internet user thinks.)

Then you'd have to know that Google keeps information even about the searches you perform. (Again, we know, but most people have never heard the term 'cookie' or know what it is.)

Not knowing what all this is, that it even exists, how could you make a decision to avoid it? (And we haven't even started talking about Google storing and indexing your personal mails, chats, documents,... to add them to the above mix.)

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

The anarchy of the internet will rule again one day. We, the users, will only put up with sh*t for so long, and then we'll program around the steaming pile. Only policy can keep us from doing this, not technology. If you want to talk details, I'll be here.

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

If you're concerned about it, I would guess you already know much of that. If you aren't concerned about it (which is the majority of the surfers) then you don't care.

For myself, I use Firefox with AdBlock Plus for the ads, NoScript to block Analytics (and other trackers), and BetterPrivacy for LSOs (Local Shared Objects, also known as Flash cookies). OTOH, I do use Google's search and Yahoo's mail plus I allow cookies for a session. Life is a trade-off.

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

oh. so because people don't know their data is being collected it isn't evil - because they don't care, anyway. ;)

Re: Poll: Is Google evil? (what do YOU think)
 

I see what you did there.

Only because it's what I was about to do. :p