Google's New Consolidated Privacy Policy

So as of today, Google has changed its privacy policy to make it "simpler" and "more unified." So...... what?? Right? We all got that notice above out Google products, "We're changing our privacy policy. Take a look. This is important!" Again.... So...... what????


SO THIS!

1. Although Google did not change how much data they are collecting about you, they changed how it would be used. By consolidating their privacy policy they can make a single profile about you based off all Google products you use. What does that mean? It means you may talk about Ugg Boots on Google Plus and then go to YouTube and see things about them there in the recommendations.
2. You still have control over what Google has access to (Google is not Facebook). But it's up to you to actually control it. Google has information you give them. What information does Google have / what do they collect?  http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/

So first you need to understand that you are going to be tracked no matter what. Get over it or don't. Google's services are free to you. RELAX. Google doesn't sell your address or your birth date and other personal identifying information. What they are interested in selling is your interests to salesmen who will offer you products you may be interested in. Because of the new privacy policy you may now write about Lee Filters in your blog, and then see advertisements about camera filters later.

1. This tracking of your information can actually benefit you. By knowing where you live (if you have that feature enabled), Google could warn you about traffic delays on a trip you have coming up in your calendar. If you have your work schedule in your calendar, it's a good way to get a hint about an accident on the freeway.
2. Google keeps your web history - like Facebook does - but the difference is that Google lets you see it, lets you delete it, or lets you pause it, etc. You can use this function to go back and look for something you searched for / didn't bookmark etc.
3. However, to play the devil's advocate... the USA currently has very few laws protecting the safety of information people use online. Nobody tells Google what they can and cannot sell and to whom. (Have you ever wondered how your address and phone number made it onto some site that you apparently have an "account" with - but you never created it?) - Whether that information was sold or simply "found" it was out there for the taking. Moreover, the idea of "making the online experience better" was the same excuse used by Facebook when they were reported by CBS to be "logging" data about people indefinitely. Somewhere on a server Facebook has my web history - or at least the last 3 sites I visited after I logged out of Facebook. Although the EU has laws against this, the USA does not, and all it would currently take for the Google products to go down the same slippery slope of shady legality is to make a few immoral decisions.
4. However, I have had good experiences with Google and its employees and don't think there is anything nefarious going on. Google asks when they want to use my photo for things, and the people are very responsive to suggestions about all the products. Google is a great company, and I hope they stay that way.

Some nifty suggestions to keep in mind:

1. Don't post your information online if you don't want it online.
2. Search for things you don't want in your browsing history without logging in or..... don't use Google to search for them. Maybe I don't want to see advertisements for Ugg Boots, so I may not log in to search for them. Or maybe I'll search for them in Bing or Yahoo.
3. You can use Chrome with "incognito mode".  https://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95464
4. You can erase or view your "web browsing history" periodically. You can erase all of it or only certain searches. You can also recall what you searched when. Here are instructions:  http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57382925-285/how-to-remove-your-google-web-history/?tag=mncol;txt