Google Wants To Take Away Our Privacy...Surprise, Surprise

www.guardian.co.uk...

I looked around, and it doesn't seem as if anyone is talking about this yet.

It seems that they are trying to tell us that our personal hard drives aren't going to be necessary anymore because they want to "hold" our data for us.

This reminds me of how I felt when I bought my first computer...I was so proud, and happy because I had my own personal place to keep my stuff...and now, they say that we don't need to worry about that anymore. It's like a bad dream...here's hoping there's no "mandatory" attribute regarding this down the pipeline.

Read the article...it sent some chills down my spine.

What do you all think of this? (as if I had to ask)

--J

edited to point out that I placed this thread here because I think that the "facility" used to store everyone's data is comparable (in secrecy & importance) to that of Area 51. Mods, feel free to move to another location if need be.
--J

[edit on 1/25/2009 by JamesTheScribe]

reply to post by JamesTheScribe


huh, interesting. So now we can upload our hard drives to google and if a massive virus gets inside google and wipes everything clean, we have nothing, no chance of recovery like we would if the hard drives material were on the actual computer and not in cyber space.

reply to post by TheMythLives


Yeah, what if their computers are hacked or crash..
Will we be certain that we get our files recovered?!

I have no desire to do this. Is this something that is
to shape the future of the internet?!

I back up my computer once a month on another hard
drive that is not connected to the internet.

I don't need GDrive...



[edit on 25-1-2009 by cluckerspud]

How would this be taking away our privacy if you simply dont use it? Are they going to hold a gun to everyone's head and force people to use this method of storage for every single pc on the planet?

I dont think so.




Cheers!!!!

They will probably start to charge people to access their files, that, and/or be the first to develop computers with no hard drives, possibly relying on something similar (but bigger) to a sim card in a cell phone.

It really is a stupid idea if you care about privacy, or the security of your information.

The impression I got from the article is that Google wants this to be the "standard"...which may mean that it will eventually become the "norm" and possibly mandatory. F-that.

It may be best for all of us to keep an eye on these developments. G-drive is not for me, and I refuse to participate. If they continue along this path, I may even start to use yahoo as my search engine...and I can't believe I just said that.

Interesting story nonetheless.

--J

Originally posted by RFBurns
How would this be taking away our privacy if you simply dont use it? Are they going to hold a gun to everyone's head and force people to use this method of storage for every single pc on the planet?

I dont think so.

Cheers!!!!

I hear ya. There are many companies that try to get us do this as
well already (go to my pc.com, I think). No guns indeed in use here.

I am wondering if this is a step in the direction, to get folks to feel
this is the future of computers. "No hard drive dude"!!!!!!

This could server to bite some in the ass, but only those who
sign up for this.

[edit on 25-1-2009 by cluckerspud]

I’m trying to find another article that I found before, but apparently Microsoft plans to do the same things with future versions of Windows. They will have the hard drive and you will load your stuff on.

Not only do I find this stupid because of the privacy issue, but what if you cant access the net at some point (for whatever reason) and then you can’t access any of your stuff? Or if it got wiped clean.

Mikey

Sorry , I might have been wrong maybe Obama/Bush is not the anti-Christ , I think it might be Google?

Seriously though can you imagine getting e-mail from Google saying would you like to meet 100 people who have information just like yours? or Now GDrive the one stop hackshop!

reply to post by Mikey84


Microsoft Live is a quite different their programs would be on the web but you would still keep your information on your hard drive, but I could be wrong though.

Originally posted by Mikey84
Microsoft plans to do the same things with future versions of Windows. They will have the hard drive and you will load your stuff on.

I remember seeing that article too, a few years ago. Its not a new idea, it stems from the online data archiving aspect, except its not just archiving data for backup purposes. Its to put everything "off board" of your machine.

It is dumb. I dont see anything wrong with online data backup services but to have your entire system depend on a remote storage device only accessable via an online connection is just plain idiotic.

Hang on to these current and older pc systems. They may just come in handy one day when Microsoft decides to only publish an OS that only works via online.

But I think that unless every software developer and manufacturer follows along with Microsoft's remote site OS idea, it wont get anywhere.

To centralize every single OS is like painting a huge bull's eye target, the large red circle in the middle would be planet Earth. One shot, one hit with a virus and there goes the whole thing. POOF!


Cheers!!!!

Could be mandatory one day, just like in 27 days we all have to have DTV thats just great aint it. Sarcasm

Originally posted by Republican08
Could be mandatory one day, just like in 27 days we all have to have DTV thats just great aint it. Sarcasm

Its not manditory to have to have digital television. You can simply do without it. Just as with this idea of having a complete OS located elsewhere, no one is going to force me to "have" to have it.

Its a matter of prospective, and a matter of if you can deal without a simple convienience.

Why do people think they "have" to have this or that? Life does not revolve around a computer or an OS located on some server sitting at Microsoft.

Just look out the window, there is more to life than the need to be connected to the net.

Once you begin to understand that, and realize that there is a world out there byond the pc screen and interent protocols, it will be less of a withdraw symptom when its time to let it all go.



Cheers!!!!

Having everything in one place just seems so naive, and the journalist that made up or bought this story might be a government disinfo agent.

I really like how people think their PC at home is private. Every single bite of info on any PC anywhere in the world is recorded and stored at a very secure location. Some is always watching

G-Drive, you've got to be kidding me. It's a good thing people like me and my nerdy friends save old computers for parts. I'm never participating in something like that. It's insane! Just like the DTV conversion is insane.

Google has been taking away your privacy for years except you ok'ed it by checking that you accept the terms. Read their terms on their website and what they can do with your info.

As far as the hard drive issue. It is just another money pit for them. They will make money charging for storage space. Of course I am sure the terms of the storage space will violate your privacy as well. Most people seldom read the terms.

reply to post by jam321


Oh no doubt. But beyond all that business with the accepting of whatever terms: google allows people to see my house by doing a simple internet search. I don't agree with this. I was never asked. No one said that a guy with a camera would be driving around and taking pictures of houses just so people that can't use a map could have a street view of their driving directions.

google allows people to see my house by doing a simple internet search. I don't agree with this.

I don't either, but as long as it is done from a public street I don't see it violating somebody's right. Kinda like when you take a picture in public and have all those unknown people in the background. No one asked their permission to be in the picture either.

Originally posted by jam321
I don't either, but as long as it is done from a public street I don't see it violating somebody's right. Kinda like when you take a picture in public and have all those unknown people in the background. No one asked their permission to be in the picture either.

That's different. No one asked their permission, true, but you can't go online, search the name of those unknown people and find them in those pictures. The way google has it, I can find out that "so and so" lives on whatever street, and I know they drive a blue car. I can go to google maps, plug in the street and state and then go down the street and find where they live.

Big difference.

Also, I tried it out with my own house, and if you keep your car in your driveway and the license plate is in the picture: I can clean it up with software on my computer enough to where I can see license plate numbers.

That's insane.