Google's Invasion Of Privacy Analysis

With the continuing development of the Internet, the center stage of individual, business, and government discussions became a new globally sought after resource, data. Since its origin, Internet users have been warned about the dangers of posting personal, intimate information publicly; however, recent events have shifted privacy discussions away from discouraging posting ill-advised information to bringing awareness to under the radar data collection. Data is a very broad term that encompasses almost all Internet activity. What users search, click, view, and type is all collected and processed by either the website, Internet browser, or even the device itself. The demand for this personal data is enormous. Governments monitor this data predominately …show more content…
As one of its largest revenue streams, earing $43.7 billion, selling user data is a cornerstone of Google’s business model. The company is able to offer services like Gmail and YouTube for free because instead of profiting off of membership fees, they utilize customized advertisements, which allow companies to better reach target consumers and for consumers to receive more relevant advertisements. These advertisements reach the user after consumer data flows through complex algorithms and sorting system that create a general outline for the user’s demographics, interests, and lifestyle choices. While this system optimizes user experience, many consumers view the practice as an invasion of privacy. Information such as search terms, phone locations, and personal communication are all stored on Google servers. Currently, the company clearly states their stance on information sharing on their privacy policy page, but recent company actions have violated these policies, pushing Google to question whether the company should change its current approach to …show more content…
One of the biggest concerns that is discussed is the right to informed consent. In 2010, Google announced that the vans used for Google maps had inadvertently picked up personal information from private WiFi networks, including private emails and chat messages. Claiming the mistake to be an accident, Google pledged to delete all information obtained in the process; however, in 2012, the Information Commissioner’s Office discovered that the company still retained some of the illegally obtained information. Despite Google claiming the data possession was a mere error, it set a poor precedent for the company going forward. Things worsened after an incident in 2012 where security analysts revealed Google was bypassing Safari browser privacy settings in order to track user activity. Although initially defending their actions, Google agreed to dismantle their bypassing mechanisms. The first event, appeared an unintended consequence of using complex technology; however, the timeliness of their response creates an ominous tone around their data collection processes. The second instance shows a clear violation of their own core principle of doing no evil as well as violating users’ right to informed consent. These events are unacceptable for a company that