Google Cautioning Users against Exporting Contacts to Facebook
Google Cautioning Users against Exporting Contacts to Facebook
Posted 11/10/2010 at 6:43pm
| by Pulkit Chandna
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Be it eavesdropping automobiles or opt-out social networking services, Google has been in the line of fire owing to privacy concerns on numerous occasions, but as those incidents recede into the archival department of public consciousness the internet mammoth is beginning to maneuver itself into the role of the archpriest of data portability. It is now warning users against the perils of importing their friends’ contact information into Facebook, “a service that won’t let you get it out.”
“Here’s the not-so-fine print. You have been directed to this page from a site that doesn’t allow you to re-export your data to other services, essentially locking up your contact data about your friends. So once you import your data there, you won’t be able to get it out,” reads Google’s warning to those wanting to export their friends’ contact info into Facebook.
“We think this is an important thing for you to know before you import your data there. Although we strongly disagree with this data protectionism, the choice is yours. Because, after all, you should have control over your data.”
The company has been fighting a very public battle with Facebook over data portability, with the latter refusing to let users export their data to Google’s services (or any third-party service for that matter). This intransigence eventually prompted Google to block access to its Contacts API to all such third-parties that refuse reciprocal access to their data.
Ideally, this should have been enough to prevent FB from accessing Google contacts, but the social networking giant came up with an easy workaround by redirecting users to a Google page that lets users download their contacts. This friendly warning is displayed whenever a FB user comes calling for his contacts.
Despite the fact that Google’s concerns aren’t really all that altruistic as they may seem, it is making a fairly reasonable point. What do you reckon?
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tkid124
November 11, 2010 at 7:31am
I don't trust Google, or any company for that matter that acts like they are more concerned in being my buddy than making a profit, I think Google has continually flirted with that line. Do I still use some Google services, yes Gmail for sure, do I search there, not a chance. I think Google can and given the chance will become a monopoly, and when my kids ask me why Google rules the world. I will point to their kindness, free internet on airplanes and in airports for the holidays, free hosting for the storage of pattens and all the data to go with it. (http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/google_agrees_host_usptos_patent_and_trademark_data_free)
Do I think Google is this evil company that will go OCP from Robo Cop levels? Not at all, at least not under the current leadership. Do I think that Google will use it's vastly different services to collect information and try and corner the advertising market? In a heart beat.
So what is this? This is Google trying to scare people into thinking that their imported contacts are somehow going to be lost into a dark hole somewhere. When in fact it is that Facebook has stupidly decided to not allow me to export <b>MY<b> contact info into my email client. I guess Facebook has a bit of a desire to control the world on their own as well.
Eoraptor
November 10, 2010 at 7:03pm
You as an individual are not likely to keep helping out someone who steadfastly refuses to help you out, why should Google be any different? Facebook wants to be the hub of all media, but it doesn't want to share the wealth in any way, shape or form... so Go Google in this case.
aarcane
November 10, 2010 at 6:58pm
I say Go Google! Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, the important thing is that Google has clearly learned from their mistakes and is working to help remedy some of the damage.
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