Changes to Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service

One policy, one Google experience

We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read. Our new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting our desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google.

This stuff matters, so please take a few minutes to read our updated Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service now. These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.

Easy to work across Google

Our new policy reflects our desire to create a simple product experience that does what you need, when you want it to. Whether you’re reading an email that reminds you to schedule a family get-together or finding a favorite video that you want to share, we want to ensure you can move across Gmail, Calendar, Search, YouTube, or whatever your life calls for with ease.

Tailored for you

If you’re signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries – or tailor your search results – based on the interests you’ve expressed in Google+, Gmail, and YouTube. We’ll better understand which version of Pink or Jaguar you’re searching for and get you those results faster.

Easy to share and collaborate

When you post or create a document online, you often want others to see and contribute. By remembering the contact information of the people you want to share with, we make it easy for you to share in any Google product or service with minimal clicks and errors.

Protecting your privacy hasn’t changed

Our goal is to provide you with as much transparency and choice as possible, through products like Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager alongside other tools. Ourprivacy principles remain unchanged. And we’ll never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances like valid legal requests).

Understand how Google uses your data

If you want to learn more about your data on Google and across the web, including tips and advice for staying safe online, check out Good to Know.

Got questions? We’ve got answers

Visit our FAQ to read more about the changes. (We figured our users might have a question or twenty-two.)

Notice of change

March 1, 2012 is when the new Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service will come into effect. If you choose to keep using Google once the change occurs, you will be doing so under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

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Comment by Maria De Wind on January 31, 2012 at 12:04pm: International criminals and terrorists ought to look elsewhere for their encrypted email needs, Hush Communications explains.

Comment by DTOM on January 31, 2012 at 10:21am: For the record, I had a Hushmail account from 2004 to 2007.

As for Hushmail being secure:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/20/hushmail_update/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/04/hushmail_saucecode_rumours/

I have been informed that if one uses Thunderbird in combination with PGP encryption (i.e GNUPG) with a private key, then the problem of Hushmail's encryption being backdoored would be alleviated.

However, Hushmail log IP's and it's far from perfect. Yes, it's better than the google, hotmail, yahoo option, but in the today's world the fact that you're even using a hushmail account, could draw attention.

https://countermail.com/ - Swedish based Open PGP service @ $60 a year and payment is by credit card. All mail is stored in encrypted format and no IP logging.

I've yet to go through all of these - http://www.moreofit.com/similar-to/www.hushmail.com/Top_10_Sites_Li...

Comment by Christopher on January 31, 2012 at 9:02am: DTOM wrote: "I think hushmail got compromised some time back..."

Compromised?

LOCKHEED MARTIN was compromised.

Hushmail is probably less compromised than Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail.

Do you have any better suggestions?

Some other options would be a great help.

Hushmail offers private, secure free email accounts. Email is encrypted and spam/virus scanned. Learn more

Comment by Christopher on January 31, 2012 at 8:46am: Scroogle!

Screw Google!

Use something else - it may not be as good - there is more than one option.

http://www.scroogle.org/

Comment by DTOM on January 30, 2012 at 6:32pm: Thanks Maria, I think hushmail got compromised some time back...

Comment by Maria De Wind on January 30, 2012 at 12:31pm: Its a wide world

escapeartist

searchengines

Top 17 Free Email Services

http://www.hushmail.com/

Comment by Maria De Wind on January 30, 2012 at 12:06pm: www.zippcast.com/user/connectingdots1">Google -The Beast "ON STEROIDS"...I MOVED TO www.zippcast.com/user/connectingdots1

Comment by Maria De Wind on January 30, 2012 at 12:05pm

Comment by Maria De Wind on January 30, 2012 at 12:04pm: ...The group sent a letter out last Monday pleading with Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA), the new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, to examine the nature of the relationships between Google and several government agencies.

In their letter, the group asks Issa to investigate contracts at many US agencies for Google technology and services, the “secretive” partnership between Google and the NSA, and the company’s use of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration airfield in California.

They also say in the letter that federal agencies have taken “insufficient” action in response to admissions last year that Google Street View cars were gathering data from open Wi-Fi connections they passed, Consumer Watchdog said in the letter.

“We believe Google has inappropriately benefited from close ties to the administration,” they said in the letter. “Google is most consumers' gateway to the Internet. Nonetheless, it should not get special treatment and access because of a special relationship with the administration.”

Consumer Watchdog might have some luck with Issa. In July, he mailed a letter to Google where he raised concerns that White House Deputy Chief Technology Officer Andrew McLaughlin, former chief of global public policy for Google, had improper email communication with company workers.

Read more here

Comment by Maria De Wind on January 30, 2012 at 12:03pm: Has Google gone too far to the dark side?

“Google’s new privacy announcement is frustrating and a little frightening,” Common Sense Media chief executive James Steyer told the Washington Post. “Even if the company believes that tracking users across all platforms improves their services, consumers should still have the option to opt out — especially the kids and teens who are avid users of YouTube, Gmail and Google Search.”

Note to Mr. Steyer: they do have the right to opt out. It’s called using another website or not signing in.

“There is no way anyone expected this,” Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a privacy advocacy group, also told the Washington Post. “There is no way a user can comprehend the implication of Google collecting across platforms for information about your health, political opinions and financial concerns.”

Calm down. There are numerous free alternatives for search engines, email, video, maps, and other products Google offers. Or, maybe, you could make two or three different Google accounts if you're so worried or you simply don't want to transfer data from one service to another.

Will Google Cross the (Creepy) Line?

Creepy? Sure. But this is from a company that, according to Schmidt, “is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it.”

It wasn’t too long ago that the FTC said Google violated its privacy policies when it launched Google Buzz “by using information provided for Gmail for another purpose - social networking - without obtaining consumers’ permission in advance.” That can’t be said anymore. Google is telling everyone when they sign up that any information they submit to Google while logged in can be used with other Google services.

Perhaps the real creepy factor you should be worried about is Google’s growing relationship with the government. There’s also the question of what happens if your unified Google account gets hacked.

Again, however, Google is optional. You may leave at any time and choose not to put all your eggs in their basket.

Read more here

Google facing criticism

over relationship with US government

TG Daily

Don’t be evil. Google claims that’s their company motto but consumer and taxpayer advocacy group, Consumer Watchdog has accused the Internet giant of committing misdeeds last week.

According to redOrbit.com it started last Monday when Consumer Watchdog debuted an animated satirical video on the streets of Washington DC, called “Mr. Schmidt Goes to Washington”. The video was displayed on a mobile video screen attached to a truck and it is part of the case for why the group thinks Congress should call Google CEO Eric Schmidt to testify under oath.

The video shows Google’s CEO testifying before Congress using real-life, creepy quotes from Schmidt about privacy. Consumer Watchdog believes that he should have to answer questions about the Wi-Spy controversy and other privacy issues, and they also said the company’s close ties to the National Security Agency should be investigated.

The group sent a letter out last Monday pleading with Re