Google

[Lady's Human]

Anyone who thinks Goldman Sachs is an evil entity, think again.

Google has them beat by miles.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/22/google_streetview_logs_wlans/

Google's roving Street View spycam may blur your face, but it's got your number. The Street View service is under fire in Germany for scanning private WLAN networks, and recording users' unique Mac (Media Access Control) addresses, as the car trundles along.

Germany's Federal Commissioner for Data Protection Peter Schaar says he's "horrified" by the discovery.




I wonder what neat little tidbits they have hiding in Chrome?

[Lady's Human]

I'm amazed that there's no reaction to this.

If it was the government doing it, there would be 4th amendment protests left and right. But, being that it's that big fuzzy friendly company Google it's okay?

Score another one for the company that helps China and other countries censor the 'net.

[Karen]

I wonder about it, and if it is just some German or European branch that decided to do that!

[Lady's Human]

Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently said internet users shouldn't worry about privacy unless they have something to hide.

Now, every time the Government makes a statement like that, there's howling from all quarters.

Doesn't sound like something Google Germany did on a whim.

[Cataholic]

Constitutional rights, like the 4th amendment, are rights between a citizen and its government, not a person and a private company. For instance, my company can film and record me all day long, there are no 4th amendment protections afforded me in that situation.

Perhaps that is why no one is clamoring 4th amendment issues here.

[Lady's Human]

Yes, but this is a private entity gathering data on individuals without their consent.

It's not a government entity, however, would you like someone essentially gathering the keys to your computer while driving through your neighborhood unannounced?

I'm willing to bet that would be a hell no.

[Catty1]

...unless they were driving in Beijing....

[Cataholic]

You asked why no 4th amendment rants, I answered.

As to someone driving through my neighborhood gathering data on me, you asked the wrong person. I, personally, don't care. I am in the minority, I am sure.

[Lady's Human]

Pay bills by computer?

Correspond through email for work?

Shop online?

Think your data is secure? (It isn't, but that's a side issue)

Google just stepped up their data mining by an incredible amount. They have become the 800 lb gorilla of info security.

[Lady's Human]

If it was the government doing it, there would be 4th amendment protests left and right. But, being that it's that big fuzzy friendly company Google it's okay?




BTW, read what I typed......I'm well aware that private entities are not subject to the 4th amendment.....however they are subject to laws against theft.

Much like people screaming censorship when a private company limits speech and certain organizations get upset..........it's not a Constitutional issue but the argument is stated, time and time again.

[RICHARD]

LOL, but tell people that their shoppping cards are being tapped for info and watch them freak out.

I know there are three wireless systems in my area-how hard is it to tap into the system and find out who is who?

-------------------

I am waiting for the medical records system to blow up.....:)

[phesina]

Pay bills by computer?

Correspond through email for work?

Shop online?

Think your data is secure? (It isn't, but that's a side issue)

Google just stepped up their data mining by an incredible amount. They have become the 800 lb gorilla of info security.

Are you saying DON'T pay bills by computer or shop online? I do both of these, but maybe I should stop?

[Grace]

Are you saying DON'T pay bills by computer or shop online? I do both of these, but maybe I should stop?

Pat, this (http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Savinganddebt/Finddealsonline/P36487.asp) might address some of your questions and concerns.

[lizbud]

My first & last post on this topic. I don't see what the furor is all about.
It's been going on since 2008. Why the sudden interest now?

[Lady's Human]

So you won't mind if I come over and rifle through your desk, Liz?

By the way, the article is from yesterday, not 2008.

[Lady's Human]

Are you saying DON'T pay bills by computer or shop online? I do both of these, but maybe I should stop?

I'm not saying don't do anything online, what I"m saying is be very, very aware of what you're doing, and beware google. They ain't the warm fuzzy socially conscious company they're cracked up to be.

[phesina]

Thank you, Gretchen and LH. I have a better idea about all this now, and I don't do very much of either anyway.

[RICHARD]

So you won't mind if I come over and rifle through your desk, Liz?

I'd much rather go thru a woman's drawers.:confused::o:eek:

[Puckstop31]

Oh yeah... Google is a dangerous lot. All you have to do is read up on who Sergey Brin and Larry Page are and what makes them tick.

We have several clients who are concerned about their intelectual property who ask us to block any access to any Google site. Or they break out a secure subnet and only allow Google access from the 'unsecure' subnet.

But that is the option? Bing? (Microsoft) MSN? (Microsoft AND NBC)


To be more safe, if you concern yourself with these things... Beware of what you do on any website that begins with HTTP:// instead of HTTPS:// Its a start.

[RICHARD]

To be more safe, if you concern yourself with these things... Beware of what you do on any website that begins with HTTP:// instead of HTTPS:// Its a start.


Usually you HAVE to try two or three engines to find what you want.....Sucks...



BTW, What is the "S" in the http: addy stand for?

[Lady's Human]

secure

[pomtzu]

To be more safe, if you concern yourself with these things... Beware of what you do on any website that begins with HTTP:// instead of HTTPS:// Its a start.

This info doesn't make me feel all that great. I checked all of the sites I use for banking, bill pay, or shopping, and only my bank, Paypal, and another bank card have the "s". :eek:

[Puckstop31]

This info doesn't make me feel all that great. I checked all of the sites I use for banking, bill pay, or shopping, and only my bank, Paypal, and another bank card have the "s". :eek:

If the part of the page where you actually conduct the transaction is NOT secure, I would run away. LOL

I would find it hard to believe that any online business worth half a cent would NOT use SSL (another word for https) on their pages. (I.e. The MAIN page might be http but it should go secure when you click links to the part where you actually conduct a transaction.)

[smokey the elder]

Also, look for an icon of a padlock in your toolbar; I think that shows up for both Internet Exploder and Firefox; I don't know about other web portals.

[pomtzu]

If the part of the page where you actually conduct the transaction is NOT secure, I would run away. LOL

I would find it hard to believe that any online business worth half a cent would NOT use SSL (another word for https) on their pages. (I.e. The MAIN page might be http but it should go secure when you click links to the part where you actually conduct a transaction.)

Oh - okay. I did a test on my Penneys account. When I go to pay bill on line, then the "s" is there. I'll have to check other sites when I have time.
I use Firefox, and the padlock shows up too.

Thanks for the info!!!

[Puckstop31]

Also, look for an icon of a padlock in your toolbar; I think that shows up for both Internet Exploder and Firefox; I don't know about other web portals.

Thank you for the "Geek" to English translation. LOL

:D

[Lady's Human]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64D60E20100514


Whoops! Google says mistakenly got wireless data

(Reuters) - Google Inc said its fleet of cars responsible for photographing streets around the world have for several years accidentally collected personal information that consumers send over wireless networks.

Technology | Lifestyle | Media

The company said on Friday that it is currently in touch with regulators in several countries, including the United States, Germany, France, Brazil and Hong Kong, about how to dispose of the data, which Google said it never used.

"It's now clear that we have been mistakenly collecting samples of payload data from open (i.e. non-password-protected) WiFi networks," Google Senior VP of Engineering and Research Alan Eustace said in a post on Google's official blog on Friday.

Google, the world's largest Internet search engine, did not specify what kind of data it collected, but a security expert said that email content and passwords for many users, as well as general Web surfing activity, could easily have been caught in Google's dragnet.

[RICHARD]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64D60E20100514


Whoops! Google says mistakenly got wireless data

(Reuters) - Google Inc said its fleet of cars responsible for photographing streets around the world have for several years accidentally collected personal information that consumers send over wireless networks.

Technology | Lifestyle | Media

The company said on Friday that it is currently in touch with regulators in several countries, including the United States, Germany, France, Brazil and Hong Kong, about how to dispose of the data, which Google said it never used.

"It's now clear that we have been mistakenly collecting samples of payload data from open (i.e. non-password-protected) WiFi networks," Google Senior VP of Engineering and Research Alan Eustace said in a post on Google's official blog on Friday.

Google, the world's largest Internet search engine, did not specify what kind of data it collected, but a security expert said that email content and passwords for many users, as well as general Web surfing activity, could easily have been caught in Google's dragnet.

I laughed when I heard this on the news this morning.

Oops? My eye!

[phesina]

Ohh! How careless of them! :D

[Marigold2]

I don't know about other parts of the US but here in Ohio there are grocery stores that have member cards that are scanned they will give you a discount on the items on sale as long as you scan your card.
What they are really doing is gathering info on what you drink, wash with, wipe with, read, eat, snack, smoke, use birth control all the thousands of items you buy at the grocery store are scanned and put into a file marked YOU.
I find that pretty upsetting.:(

[Lady's Human]

The store cards don't bother me. You're doing it voluntarily.

What google did was theft.

[kokopup]

Google has collected and sold info on your searches for years. The popups and unsolicited emails are usually tailored to your interest on searches you have made. We would all be upset if we knew all the info that is collected and stored in Google and others databases.