EPIC Urges FTC To Investigate Google Services 111
snydeq writes "The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a 15-page complaint asking the FTC to force Google to stop offering online services that collect data until the presence of adequate privacy safeguards is verified. The EPIC also wants Google to disclose all data loss or breach incidents, citing several incidents where data held by Google was at risk, the most recent of which occurred earlier this month with its Google Docs. The EPIC complaint [PDF] also listed other security flaws in Gmail and Google Desktop, a desktop indexing program, and urged Google to donate $5 million to a public fund that will support research into technologies such as encryption, data anonymization and mobile location privacy."
EPIC has raised privacy concerns about Google before, and about Windows XP as well.
Talk about raining on someone's parade.... (Score:5, Interesting)
Wow.
Love Google or hate Google, I think we'd all agree that Google has done more for consumers on the Internet in the last decade than just about any other single company. Nobody offers Google's breadth of services at any price, let alone free. That doesn't excuse any potential mismanagement of personal information, but I have to wonder how much of this is fueled by market pressures: if you can't compete, { sue | accuse of a crime | sabotage | buy }.
I'm getting so sick of the way the business world operates. My philosophy has always been "mission first", or your first priority is to serve your customer's needs and forward the mission of the company. You charge money to accomplish this goal, not the other way around. But the business world has lost sight of this goal, and instead chooses to use any dirty trick necessary to force competition out of business. In the end, this kind of atmosphere hurts us all.
Re:Could always try NOT using those services (Score:3, Interesting)
If people care about these issues, they will stop using them.
People who are REALLY concerned about Google data mining will block all Google domains in the HOSTS file and will explain to their friends and relatives that they can't view the Google map precisely because of all of the privacy concerns. They will recommend alternatives like map quest etc. Web-sites that use Adsense will switch to alternatives because enough of their surfers are blocking Google that it's more profitable to use something else. This will start to cut into Google's bottom line and they will get the message and alter their practices.
UNLESS ...
The government steps in with extensive privacy regulations. This will make it difficult for new companies to enter into the market because they will need to make sure that they are complying with these expensive regulations etc. Not to mention that everyone feels all safe and rosey because Big Brother is watching out for them. So they have no reason to consider alternatives anyway. This will help to secure a monopoly for Google (and the other big giant megacorps who can afford to not only spend the resources complying with these regulations but also lobbying the government for even more regulations because they help to keep out competition). This would create a far worse privacy nightmare than the current situation or the free market alternative.