Google’s New Angle on Search: What Have You To Hide?

Google recently announced that it is launching new offerings related to increasing the relevancy of your searches using Google. Does this come at a cost to your privacy? Inquiring minds want to know.

First, Google will be attempting to further refine your search results based on 3 additional key areas of information: 1) Location, 2) Recent Searches, and 3) Web History.

Google has this to say:

Location. By default, we identify your approximate city location based on your computer’s IP address and use it to customize your search results. …

Recent searches. We take into account whether a particular query followed on the heels of another query. Because recent search activity provides such valuable context for understanding the meaning behind your searches, we use it to customize your results whenever possible, regardless of whether you’re signed in or signed out. In order to customize your results and show you the customization details, we keep the most recent query on your browser for a limited time. After that, the information is removed from your browser and disappears immediately if you close your browser.

Web History. If you’re signed in and have Web History enabled, we customize your search results based on what you’ve searched for in the past on Google, and what web sites you’ve visited. One important note about Web History: it belongs to you and you have complete control over it. You can remove specific items or pause the service at any time. …

So what do you have to hide? Does this violate privacy rights in your opinion?

Google has already been caching a great deal of information about your searches, and uses this information to support its advertising based business(es). This in and of itself is not sinister, because it supports the stalwart services we all come to know and love.

I wanted to call attention to that comment in Web History that states, “it belongs to you and you have complete control over it.” Anyone believing this has to be a fool. The Internet is full of cache-points where uniquely identifying information about you and what you do is stored. At this point, individual corporate privacy regulations have kept this information out of the hands of those wishing to troll the information for their benefit, but there are indeed works under way to unsecret this information as seen in RIAA’s case against Verizon.

What is perhaps most frightening is the simple power that Google now holds over information in general. As proposed in Jason Calacanis’s e-mail dialogue, Google is now exerting an interesting position within the information space, as it were. Some corporate entities are somewhat fearful of blacklisting by Google should they say or do something out of line, while others are more fearful of the mounting volume of information Google now holds in its possession.

While this is all very doom-and-gloom, Google has not taken a position of sway over you and I. No, in fact, they have responsibly leveraged the information they do have to monetize their advertisement business and drive free solutions to the normal person, like you and I.

You can choose to argue the merits or weaknesses of either side all day, but at this point Google is demonstrating a measured level of responsibility given its power in the information space. I would also like to point out that individuals, like you and I, have given Google “our vote” by use if its products and services.

In general, we will continue to watch the ebb and flow of Google, and other key players in the space. But fear not, it is the joint voices of us little people that ultimately – over time – that will determine the fate of things. Just be sure that you watch and listen attentively to ensure your privacy and protection are secured; and be sure you don’t have too much to hide.

Ken Stewart’s blog, ChangeForge.com, focuses on the collision between the constantly changing worlds of business and technology. Ken is also the Director of Technology at Kearns Business Solutions.