Google's Gdrive Raises Instant Privacy Concerns

An anonymous reader writes "The rumor mill is already raging over the potential functionality and capacity for Google's online storage service we talked about earlier this week (the company says 'it makes sense' to put all its Web apps under the same umbrella). But Internet rights advocates are now crying foul over liability issues, a probable lack of encryption and a cash-cow model that could scan all your personal data for advertising keywords. From the article: "'Google would be wise to offer users an option to encrypt your information,' says Nimrod Kozlovski, a professor of Internet law at Tel Aviv University. 'It really needs to have really detailed explanations of what the legal expectations are for storing your info.'""

you have the choice

[yagu]

You have the choice to:

• Not use the google service
• encrypt your data you choose to store online with them
• use some other service

Seriously, the issues raised are the same as with the other on-line storage services. And, this move by Google mostly integrates/consolidates what they already offer, albeit with the extension of storing any kind of data. I think it's great, I've started storing much of my data on line in various forums and I love the internet access. At your parents house and need a file? Download from the clouds. Got a special inside track on a new job and they need your resume, quick? From the clouds. Serenity now!

If you've got data you think sensitive, encrypt it, or figure out a different way to store it. Personally, from anecdotal, but plentiful, observation, those who store their data "in"/on the internet:

• are far less likely to lose data
• have much more universal access to their data
• will probably spend less overall (no upgrades to disk drives) to store their data
• and bother me far less with support issues

As for the screaming about Google figuring out a way to make money doing this, hwah? Kind of what running a company is about. And the more money they figure out how to make by ads makes the price point that much less for you and me, or anyone willing to trust Google. For the moment, I am. I'm assuming I'll get enough warning signs to not trust them, I'll move my data elsewhere. For now, good for Google.

This isn't new, just big. And, from a personal standpoint, I hope it's one more ding in Microsoft's armor. The more there are alternatives to data locked up in Microsoft's products, the better chances of real competition, and ultimately progress (finally!) in technology. (sorry, had to dig... this is slashdot, right?)

but what

[old and new again]

if i don't care about the privacy of the data i'm uploading, what if i upload random pron and i just want the space (i f i have something private, ill pay for my own hosting and encrypt ot my way, not google's way

Jesus Christ

[Jugalator]

At least let Google say something on their plans first...?

Besides, what's so special even if they'd do this? It's the norm to not encrypt mails. It's the norm to not encrypt instant messages on servers on services that provide offline messaging (Messenger, ICQ, ...). Software may send usage information to some company's servers. Game companies analyze your system to detect cheats, and could in the process find a lot of other things on it.

As usual, when this is released, I think *gasp* that the users will just have to decide for themselves if they care for having encryption or not. They'll also be free to encrypt their data. Why the rumor mill? Just chill and take it for what it is, as with any other service. It's not like Google will force you onto it. Then I could see the fearmongering kicking in early be more motivated.

I am so tired of hearing about this.

[Evil Kerek]

#1 - Everything on the internet is not free. Actually, nothing is truly free - there's a cost SOMEWHERE. #2 - You do not have to use G So stop getting your panties in a wad. Just because YOU don't like the idea of it, doesn't mean some of us couldn't care less and like the idea of free storage. Everyone acts like GMail is the only mail system out there or that they are being forced to use it. Don't like the ads? Don't like that Google might read your mail? DON'T USE IT. You have plenty of choices out there - it's not Google's responsiblity to provide you with free anything. Get over yourselves.

I do not get it

[bogaboga]

When it comes to GDrive, I wonder whether anyone is being forced to use it. I doubt this is the case. If this is not the case, why not just avoid it? Shhesh?

Can't say I'm concerned

[Yalius]

It's a free service, some will find it useful, some won't. I mean, what kind of nimrod would expect his data to be 100% perfectly private and encrypted if he's outsourcing his data retention to someone else, and then question the company storing his data for, um, storing his data in the form he transmitted it? I just don't get the OMFGism.

Re:I trust Google as of now...

[Jugalator]

Agreed -- Google hasn't done anything evil about their information other than by machine analyzing the data to provide relevant ads. I think the reason is simple enough... Even if they were evil enough to do anything more, they ought to have the brains to understand how damaging that would be to their brand when it's the god damn core of their business model. Managing information. I mean, I can't even see how Google would even want to do this even from a business perspective. It would just take them to be discovered having done something fishy once and they could risk losing a lot of their reputation.

"Internet rights advocates are now crying foul"

[serviscope_minor]

Simple, don't use it. Seriously, google aren't in the business of simply giving stuff away out of the goodness of their hearts. They're giving things away because they think that they can generate revenue. Pretty much the only thing they get for storing your data "for free" is the data itself.

Just like your emails: you pay them by giving data so that they can search it advertise to you. Why would anyone think that they would do anything else with more of your data.

If you are sufficiently naive to think that a company will simply give you free online storage for no benefit to themselves, than I have a bridge to sell you. Lots of traffic, one careful owner...

This is Madness. This is Slashdot.

[njfuzzy]

This is idiotic. Seriously. The "product" in question is a rumor. No details are confirmed about how it will work, what advertising hooks there will be, what features it will have, or whether it will ever see the light of day. You know what criticizing it at this point makes you? Not an analyst, not an expert, not a technologist. It makes you a guy with a guess and a blog.

how could Google encrypt?

[eean]

Whats the point of having Google encrypt and decrypt your info? They'll have to turn it over, decrypted, if served with papers. And wouldn't release it otherwise.

Encryption has to happen client-side.

Re:I trust Google as of now...

[vux984]

They've done nothing to shake that trust, and to be frankly I have good faith that they won't.

Pretty much anyone who has ever dated has been in this situation. And yet the world is littered with broken hearts, cheating/backstabbing boyfriends/girlfriends, bitter breakups, and vicious divorce proceedings. I'm not saying one shouldn't trust people, but your a complete idiot if you think you can't get brutally hurt. At least with love the risk is worth it... what does google give you? Free webmail? Some online storage? Yeah. That's worth handing over my private life for. I can get a service like that for pennies a month. My private life is worth more than that. Is yours really that worthless?

They're a data miner, sure, but they have always done in the least intrusive way as possible.

Ah, so as long as you don't realize it, or even know about it, then its ok.

So thanks for being watchdogs and all, but as of right now, Google has my trust.

If you ever stop trusting them they still have everything you ever gave them, and more.

Your email, your conversations, your documents, your address, the business you associate with, the people you associate with, your friends, your family, the stocks you track, your political leanings, and much much more.

Some us are thinking ahead so that hopefully people like you don't get raped by the future. Your privacy is important, its a shame you value it so poorly.

These "privacy advocates" have no business

[IGnatius T Foobar]

I don't know who these supposed "privacy advocates" are, but as far as I'm concerned they can go f**k themselves. If they don't trust their data on Google's servers, then don't use the service. END OF DISCUSSION.

Re:Trust the large corporation

[m4ximusprim3]

zzzz..*snort* roomba!...zzzzzzzzz *dreams of capresso* Back OT: I don't trust them as far as I can throw them. But, that doesn't mean it's not a useful service and that I won't use it. I'll just stash my bank records somewhere else. See? simple!

I let my E-mail Provider Read All My Mail

[Jon_S]

This same paranoia came up when GMail came out. People all freaked out that Google was reading their mails to match up ads.

I don't have GMail. I pay for a service (*) rather than look at ads.

But you know what, I still let my e-mail provider read all my mails. How else does anyone think that spam filters work? You can't filter out spam without reading the e-mails.

It's not like Eric Schmidt is there reading each message looking for the good ones.

* service = fastmail.fm I highly recommend them.

Griping about vaporware

[ElizabethGreene]

Does no-one else observe the futility of griping about a product that does not exist yet? Let's see what they come up with before gathering the pitchforks and torches. -ellie