
IPFS News Link • Surveillance
Concerned About Privacy? You're Probably up to no Good, Says Google CEO
• Daily TechGoogle's recently responded to such doubts, blasting those that would harbor
them. Google CEO Eric Schmidt commented to CNBC, "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe
you shouldn't be doing it in the first place."
He also admitted that
Google does sometimes release its users' private data, stating, "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."
Taken by itself, this comment seems pretty reasonable. Yahoo's Law Enforcement guide offers similar comments, indicating that law
enforcement officials must ask within 45 days and come bearing a 2703(d) order
to access users' instant messenger logs. However,
there is an expedited process if there's "imminent danger of death or serious
physical injury."
The more troublesome comment is Mr. Schmidt's
indictment of those who wish privacy. One must also consider Mr. Schmidt's own
demands for personal privacy. Mr. Schmidt banned CNET, one of the top tech news sites on the web, from Google for an
entire year for publishing information about the CEO, including his salary; his
neighborhood, some of his hobbies and political donations. Where did CNET find this info? From none other than Google itself.
In
total, the comments paint what is perhaps an alarming picture, when you consider
that even large companies have been subject to hacks, data leaks, and
subpoenas. While some may indeed want to cover up their "evil" actions, others
may seek privacy to hide persecution at work over medical conditions, or to
protect their business from competitors who could seek to use inside info to
gain an unfair advantage. In short, while Mr. Schmidt may consider privacy a
luxury a privacy that citizens don't need, it's essential to many.
The CNBC's Maria Bartiromo, who has interviewed Mr. Schmidt before in the
past, asks tough but fair questions, like "People are treating Google like their
most trusted friend. Should they
be?"
Mr. Schmidt's responses indicate a clear disregard for consumer
privacy. At the same time his company has fought
deals like the Microsoft-Yahoo partnership complaining that they provide an
unfair competitive advantage and possibly endanger consumers' privacy. And he
has fought equally hard to protect his own privacy.
A clip of the
interview can be viewed at Gawker.
3 Comments in Response to Concerned About Privacy? You're Probably up to no Good, Says Google CEO
OTOH, that "up to no good" line is something that belongs in my profile bio. I'll update that right now.
OK this guy Schmidt clearly doesn't have kids. How could he not know that online privacy is a major concern for parents?
Kind of a bone-headed statement.
I use www.startpage.com. It doesn't record IP addresses and I like the search results better than google which always gives me random things. So...google doesn't have to worry about protecting my privacy anymore.