Privacy Concerns On Google's 30 Day Data Policy

darkmonkeh writes ""Google Inc. is offering a new tool that will automatically transfer information from one personal computer to another, but anyone wanting that convenience must authorize the Internet search leader to store the material for up to 30 days", CNN reports. Although Google's policy states that it can hold data for up to 30 days, "Google intends to delete the information shortly after the electronic handoff, and will never retain anything from a user's hard drive for more than 30 days", said Sundar Pichai, director of product management. With pressure on Google after the request by the Bush administration for personal information, privacy concerns may be hard hitting."

What about GMail?

[antron-jedi]

Pretty much half my life is saved in my GMail anyway, so I figure what the hell, why not? Just from reading TFA my concern would be less with the government and more with other security/privacy breaches, though.

Safety

[rjstanford]

This is basically using Google's storage as a BigAssDisk(tm) for you to move/wipe your machine. Think about what would happen if they didn't do this:

1) User "saves" his data to google.
2) User wipes and rebuilds his PC.
3) User loads his data from google, after which google immediately forgets it.
4) User realizes that his drive was set up incorrectly and repeats step 2.
5) User says, "Fuck. I thought I'd saved that!"

They're emulating a temporary backup tape in this case, so they're acting more like one. Destructing 30 days after last use is reasonable (it is a temporary tape) and indeed useful. Destructing 30 seconds after first use is potentially catestrophic.

bandwidth impact?

[slackaddict]

What's the likely impact on Verizon's data network if you have millions of users all over the world sending data constantly to Google's server farm for this new service in addition to the already high amount of web traffic? Verizon is going to be pissed.

This doesn't make any sense

[voice_of_all_reason]

So it's based on the presumption that it's easier to transfer your whole hard drive than sort through the data and burn only what you need. Even with broadband and a reasonably small (5gb) hard drive, you're talking a good day or two at constant top speed (40kbps for me). I think just a small amount of effort in cherry-picking what you really need on the other computer could easily fit on a burned cd or dvd, and take up infinitely less time.

Besides, won't Microsoft throw a hissyfit about this? Technically, if I upload my entire c:\, google now has a copy of windows it didn't pay for. Along with every other registered program in my program files directory. I can't imagine Sony would be too pleased either when they find out I rip my DVDs to hard disk and pass 'em along to google.

Re:Don't Do It

[aztektum]

Is it me or does it seem that when it comes to Google, there is a stigma that every service they roll out should be awesome and immediately utilized - oh but wait - they can store my data for 30 days? Hrm, I don't know. It is Google, but that doesn't sit right. But it is Google. Mm, Google.

For real, just don't flippin' use it, viola, no more concerns over the privacy of your data. (At least with Google.)