Comment by GrandMasterBirt | Hacker News Reader

Comment by GrandMasterBirt | Hacker News Reader

GrandMasterBirt

The problem I have with google is their collection of data. The government needs to control this.

See when it comes to Facebook/twitter only what I WANT to become public, is public. I mean I only post on facebook/twitter what I want the world to see. Lets assume everything is public. While with google I am betting they can know where I live without any sort of geolocation gps or any other technology, because they will know what I search for, where I go (directions on google maps), when I go where I go, where I work, etc. I am betting they can recite my life better than I remember it.

That I have a problem with. And pretty much everything I do online feeds google. And this applies to many online companies, google just does it better.

The days of "lets not be evil, lets be awesome" are easily replaced by "lets make money!"

While with google I am betting they can know where I live without any sort of geolocation gps or any other technology, because they will know what I search for, where I go (directions on google maps), when I go where I go, where I work, etc. I am betting they can recite my life better than I remember it.

If you don't want 'em to know that kind of information, then don't give it to 'em. Don't use google for search, don't use google for maps, don't use google for mail.

Alternatively you can hide most of your identity with careful cookie management, or by using the "Incognito" feature in Chrome, which is made by... aw crap.

Personally I don't bother to hide my actions from google since I never tell them anything interesting enough to catch anyone's attention, but I could if I wanted to.

> If you don't want 'em to know that kind of information, then don't give it to 'em.

Exactly.

It's not like google is breaking into your home, holding you at gunpoint, and forcing you to type your personal and private information. Instead, people are using a network designed for information sharing, putting their information on that network, and then acting surprised when somebody aggregates it. If you don't want google having your private data, quit putting your private data into google software or onto the public internet. They don't know anything you (or your acquaintances) don't either tell them directly or say in public.

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