Google, Do they know too much?

There has always been allot of controversy over the amount of data the government are keeping on us and how the use of CCTV is creating a Big Brother society. To some extent I do agree with this however I do feel there is a bigger threat to our privacy. That threat is the mighty internet giant Google

Firstly we have the humble Google search, Google knows everything you’re looking at according to some statistics 80% of us are using Google so that means that Google could knows what up to 80% of us are looking at on the web. Every time you type in a search into Google they store it in their massive servers and can identify what you’re looking at. This means that theoretically Google could target you with specific advertisements in order to generate income. The European Union became so concerned about how much search information Google have on us that they forced Google to stop storing such information for any longer than 9months.

Google faced criticism over there Google maps and Google earth software that allows anyone to have a look at your house or place of work. This software also creates a new opportunity for criminals. One man confessed to using Google earth to have a look at church roofs to look for lead tiles on their roofs, which he then stole. As if that was not intrusive enough Google street view allows for anybody with internet access to look right at your front door, why would anybody want to look at a strangers house, what’s the point in it.

Google have also released an application for your mobile called latitude whereby if you sign up for it your friends and family can see where you are. Ohhhh and so can Google.

Gmail and Google instant messaging service now also means that for users whom are using this services Google can now have a peek at what you talking about. All your e-mails are also stroed in goggles huge servers this means that if they wanted to they could take a sneaky peek at what you’re saying and any personal information stored within you e-mails.

Even your credit card details are not safe form goggles ever rooming eyes. Google offer a checkout service were by you give Google your credit card details and when you next order form the internet it’s faster. But it also means they get to see your credit card details.

Google blogs, colander and docs also allow Google to have a look at what u have planed your opinions and possibly some sensitive documents about yourself.

So they know where you live, what you interested in, your credit card details, were you are, what your house looks like and who you are talking to. People are saying that the government knows too much. This is the sort of stuff that intelligence agencies must dream off, all that information in one place. But this isn’t the government that have this information it’s a company out to make profit they don’t care about you they care about money.

There are many other services that Google offer and all of these require you to give out personal information. I’m not saying that Google are going to screw us all over what I am saying however is what would happen if someone managed to hack into goggles servers and find out anything they want to know about you. Or what if in these tough economic times Goole decided that it would be more profitable for them to start specific advertisements in order to generate income.

Here is another scenario for you, what if the government start snooping into what Google is storing on you. Or what if Google were using all this information they have on you to gather it all into one place, were they can just look you up in their huge servers and take any information they want about you and use it as they please. After all as we on ATS all know too well, Knowledge is power.

No wonder the PRC is keeping a close eye on Google. Would you like to be spied on from the U.S. through a high powered satellite powered by Google?

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


I would rather be spied on by a legitimate sovereign government rather than a corporate body out to make a profit. Ideally i would like neither to be snooping on me.

reply to post by kevinunknown


Do you think the U.S. government can use Google to spy on other countries?
second line!

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


That’s a very interesting suggestion. My immediate response would be to say no, they have other ways of spying on foreign states. Then again they have other ways of spying on domestic states, but i am not suggesting that they do that either. I would have to go and do some research to find out if the government are currently using Google to spy. Interesting question what do you think?

After googling around, I can't find anything on getting images removed/blurred on google maps - not the street view, just the overhead. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions? Especially for a UK resident.

I don't really want to sign up to google forums.

reply to post by kevinunknown


Well I do know that China's military is really interested in space warfare and cyberwarfare. I have books on China's military which discuss that they study thoroughly in hacking and the like of.
Here's the book I'm talking about.
www.amazon.com...

[edit on 1-8-2010 by Romantic_Rebel]

Well, Google is the ,defacto, biggest private intelligence agency in the U.S.. It's just not often thought of in such a light.

Originally posted by sporkmonster
Well, Google is the ,defacto, biggest private intelligence agency in the U.S.. It's just not often thought of in such a light.

This is exactly right. Our technology is going to evolve our culture, and this is just one way that it will happen.

Our leaders like to have us enthusiastically file in to be taken to slaughter. Your mental programming? You not only ask for it, you pay for it. Cable TV, movies, music....you pay to be programmed with a mindset.

Orwell for President in 2012.

They would say they know "enough".

reply to post by jokei


I had the same problem, never figured out how to fix it. Then i thought if i blur out my house then it only makes it appear more interesting. Still even when i did try to get it blurred out couldn’t find out how to do it.

reply to post by kevinunknown


Thing is the more people blur their houses the less unusual it becomes, I think most of the houses on my street are online - cyber-neighbourhood-watch?

Dammit, think I'm gonna sign up to google forums.

reply to post by jokei


Well let me know how you get on, I wonder how much personal information it will cost you for them to remove it. Saying that i wonder with Google are going to start storing our DNA, Iris, figure prints and so on.

reply to post by kevinunknown


Emailed them about 3 days ago, still no response.

Hmm

reply to post by jokei


They are probably going through their servers to find out everything they need to know about you so that they can start to brainwash you into changing your mind lol.

hey there bro,law of attraction action again!
i was just thinking how when i write emails in gmail if i write in my native bulgarian but with english letters as we all do,its really hard for a computer do decrypt or a human,if they REALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ME (am i terrorist/rebel?) they would have to get a bulgarian/language specialist to translate. and who would be smart enough to make a program that decrypts bulgarian with english letters into english translated words? its not hard,its just hard to think about.
still i hate my country too much,i dont mind tptb spying on my gangsta english skills

reply to post by Stillalive


Err google have auto translation software. Its only in its infancy but give them two or three more years and it wont be an issue.

The CIA is a major owner of Google through several shadow investment companies. I've no proof, never will, except that I have family with careerists in the CIA and one night over too much wine, one, who is not one to boast, lie or bluster told me that is the case. That's enough for me.

reply to post by pajoly


Like you say you can’t prove it, I personally don’t believe there is any significant involvement with the CIA and Google. If there was going to be any connection it would be with the NSA I think and I don’t believe that to be the case either. I am open to the idea, would make for a very good thread if you could get definitive proof.

Neither the CIA or NSA need to partially fund Google as Google are more than happy to share your data with the government when asked.