We know Google knows more about our neighbors than we know about ourselves -- but when hard numbers are presented against Google -- we begin to fill its pricking chill with no escape hatch available:
Just how closely is Google (GOOG) watching you? A new report by three UC Berkeley graduate students indicates that of 400,000 sample Web domains, the company has a Google tracker--either Google Analytics, AdSense, DoubleClick, Google Widgets, or FriendConnect--on 88 percent of them. 88 percent. Google also has trackers on 92 of the 100 most popular Web sites.Does Google have an information monopoly?
Is Google out of control because of everything it embeds and controls on the internet?
How much more of our lives do we plan to give away for free to Google and its partners?
Is there a price on privacy?
Do you know Google is tracking you while you read this page?
Google does seem to have an information monopoly - one which we have willingly provided it over the last 11+ years. The question is, of course - what are their plans for this information? Is it for our betterment? :)
Sounds like a monopoly to me!
It's a bit frightening to think that all of my information is being spied on!
It seems true privacy is a thing of the past. In order to have privacy we would have to disconnect from the internet altogether and work offline. That is the price we would be paying for our privacy.
Gordon --
Even if Google's intentions are good and honorable -- should they still have all that information stored on us? If so, for what future use? Should they be restricted in profiling all those years to form the virtual us?
I agree, Kimberley, that if we want our internet privacy we have to leave the internet. Is that right, though? Why should we have to flee an information network to protect our private lives?