Mozilla Director: Go Bing
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Hard to say what point, exactly, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was trying to make in his appearance on CNBC, but his words have struck an angry cord with some in the tech community, who are now raising the question: might it be time to wean yourself from Google?
Schmidt’s transgression was to state: “If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. If you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines--including Google--do retain this information for some time and it's important, for example, that we are all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act and it is possible that all that information could be made available to the authorities."
So, was Schmidt basically warning all Internet users of the limits of their privacy? Or was his comment a Freudian slip regarding Google’s casual attitude about your privacy? For Asa Dotzler, Mozilla’s director of community development, it’s the latter, and he says if that’s the way Google wants to play it, then he advises users to drop Google and adopt Bing.
Dotzler maintains that Microsoft, the equally imposing tech behemoth that it is, has a better privacy policy than Google. Microsoft doesn’t tightly ‘connect-the-dots’, relating user searches to such things as their email or online app use, and it stores data for a shorter period of time than Google. It’s not ideal, but its better than what Google offers. And with Schmidt’s apparent distain for user privacy, a switch might be something to consider.
Image Credit: Google, Microsoft
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MouseOfAntiquity
December 12, 2009 at 2:05am
Privacy is about what you are
passionate about, what you think, feel, and believe. It's about those
things that whisper to lover. It's about embarrassing medical
problems. An erotic story your reading. The good times you've had
with your friends and family. Your heartbreaks. The pictures of your
loves. Or the pain of loneliness and a multitude of other things
that could be what are private to you. One thing privacy is not about
is whether or not you've committed a crime. The vast majority of
those things that are private to you are no ones business but yours
and whoever else you share them with. Most of what is private to you
probably wouldn't be relevant to a criminal investigation and why
there are restrictions on the government about a citizens privacy.
Some companies and individuals wouldn't hesitate to use any
information to hurt you or protect their bottom line. So when the CEO
of Google apparently doesn't understand privacy, I worry.
Neufeldt2002
December 12, 2009 at 11:06am
If you're concerned about that kind of privacy, what are you doing putting it on the web? That's the same as handing a car thief your keys and telling them to park your car.
I wanted a signature, but all I got was this ________
damazeen
December 11, 2009 at 10:49pm
They would all sell you out faster than you can blink your eyes. The days of chivalry in buisness are long gone.
That said, seems like Mozilla's partnership with google ends in 2011. I see it as:
1. More lucrative deal (for Mozilla) when renewal comes around or ;
2. Bing goes Mozilla
Here today, gone tomorrow. Live life.
reutnes
December 11, 2009 at 4:57pm
Why is this such an issue?
So some computer has information that I like taco bell, go to a high school (I can never remember the web address, but google has it when I put in the acronym) and play Eve online. From stuff like that, they generate ads that are relevant to me, so now I don't have to know the number one secret to a flat belly and whiter teeth. Is that so bad? It's not like they're invading me. I certainly don't feel violated in any way. Look at Yahoo, who will sell all it's data about you for $60. That's violating.
Kaimon77
December 11, 2009 at 3:39pm
Don't know about you, but I am not going to trust M$ with my private data any more than I would Google.
So, what do I do? I use scroogle. It essentially annonymizes your google searches.
Check it out at www.scroogle.org. works like a charm with firefox and IE.
-- Kaimon77
routine
December 11, 2009 at 4:47pm
This is assuming Scroogle doesn't do anything nasty with your data.
Neufeldt2002
December 11, 2009 at 3:03pm
I think it is the first. Lets face it, everyone is screaming more privacy (myself included), but every now and then someone has to remind people that there are laws in place, that no matter what we would like, cannot be changed. Companies are bound by laws and if you want to stay in business you have to obey. MS may say differently, but I would bet the national debt of the USA that MS obeys the same privacy laws google does. They just haven't said so. (Canadian by the way)
I wanted a signature, but all I got was this ________
compro01
December 11, 2009 at 4:32pm
Just because both follow the same laws doesn't mean one doesn't go above and beyond the law. The law is just the minimum requirements.
Neufeldt2002
December 11, 2009 at 5:14pm
Minimum or not, if the DOJ goes knocking, do you really think one is going to be better than the other? I don't. Or if they can make money off of your data? Nope.
I wanted a signature, but all I got was this ________
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