I was reading an article on Google and how it tracks every search, every click, basically every move you make. This information can then be subpoenaed by the government divulging to them your personal life. You would think that this information would be protected, that a search engine would delete this information because it would waste of space, but this is not so. Google can hold onto personal information for as long as they want, meaning if it is subpoenaed for any reason they would have a huge user history on you. Today, everything is done typically online enabling the government to know all about you with one little subpoena. Now I don’t feel like I have anything to hide, but it is a fact that search engines are advertised for “personal use.” If it is so personal why are they keeping a history log of us? Why are they tracking our every move? I understand that it helps them to gear searches for a more personalized search, however, you can still get that same personalized search if your user history is deleted after 30 days, such as AOL does. I do not like the fact that my personal information is out there, up for grabs.
There is a law called the Electronic Communications Privacy Act that was enacted in 1986, keeping most of our electronic use private. Since this was before the internet it does not include privacy from search engines. I believe that we need to revise this law to fit the current electronic commutations that are practiced today. Communication has significantly changed since 1986 and I am sure that this law is past due on a revision. Until this happens, or something is done in regards to our user privacy, there are acts that can be taken to increase your user privacy. In his article “FAQ: When Google is Not Your Friend,” Dean McCullagh, staff writer at CNET News, says to protect yourself you should, “Clear your browser history, encrypt your hard drive, clear cookies set by search engine, and if you’re really worried go to anonymizer.com and sign up for one of its anonymous browsing options.”
The bottom line is that something has got to change. At one point in time our electronic communications were protected, but because of advances in technology they are not anymore. Our protection should advance with the technologies and time, not stay stagnant behind it.
I think it is just another way to make a buck. It is free research for the search engines to sell to companies that want to target huge publics. What is a better resource than a search engine? Not to mention all the spyware and adware you can find my a mere click of a mouse. My, how ugly technology can be. Can't live with it, can't live without it.
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