[LINK] [EPIC NEWS] EPIC on Google

[Roger Clarke]

http://www.epic.org/alert/EPIC_Alert_15.18.html
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[4] EPIC Speaks in Brussels to Bloggers, Privacy Roundup
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Google's proposal to reduce data retention to 9 months was greeted
with some skepticism when the details of the search giant's procedures
for "anonymization" were examined.
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[5] Google Browser Faces Privacy Criticisms
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On September 2, 2008, Google launched a web browser, "Google Chrome."
The software permits users to display and navigate web sites, much like
Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Mozilla's Firefox, and Apple's Safari.
The release touched off a firestorm of criticism from privacy watchdogs,
with much attention focused on the browser's license agreement. The
agreement stated that Google claimed authority to reproduce and
publicly display all information submitted by users through the
browser. "[Y]ou give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide,
royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify,
translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute
any Content which you submit, post or display," the license read. Such
information could include web searches, email messages, blog posts, or
web sites visited - virtually all of a person's online activity.

Privacy advocates also criticized Chrome's data collection practices,
which collect detailed information about users' online behavior. By
default, the Google browser collects every keystroke entered into the
address bar. This information is transmitted to Google, and associated
with users' Internet Protocol addresses and Google account identifiers.
Google also retains a percentage of user data, which remains linked to
personal identifiers.

In response to the privacy backlash, Google altered the Chrome license
agreement and some aspects of its data retention policies. The license
agreement dropped language relating to Google's reproduction and public
display of information submitted through the browser. Google also
stated that it would take steps to alter the IP address data that it
collects, though no date was set for the change, and technical experts
have criticized the company's IP address obfuscation techniques as
ineffective.

This week also saw further developments regarding Google's proposed
advertising deal with Yahoo - an arrangement that has been criticized
by privacy advocates. The U.S. Justice Department has reportedly hired
Sanford Litvack, an experienced litigator, as a consultant in its
review of the deal. The federal probe focuses on Google's growing power
in advertising. Privacy experts have faulted the arrangement on similar
grounds. Combined, Google and Yahoo control more than 80% of U.S.
online-search ads.

EPIC has a long history of opposing actions that consolidate data
concerning users' online habits. On April 20, 2007, EPIC and other
privacy groups filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission,
requesting that federal regulators open an investigation into the
proposed Google/Doubleclick merger. EPIC identified specific privacy
threats arising from the heightened ability of the merged company to
record, analyze, track, and profile Internet users' activities. In
February 2000, EPIC filed a regulatory complaint challenging
DoubleClick's plan to personally identify internet users through data
acquired by the online advertising colossus from Abacus Direct, a
giant in offline marketing information. DoubleClick subsequently
backed off the controversial web-tracking plan.

Google Chrome License Agreement (after revision):
       http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html

EPIC's Search Engine Privacy page:
       http://epic.org/privacy/search_engine/

EPIC's page on Privacy? Proposed Google/DoubleClick Deal:
       http://www.epic.org/privacy/ftc/google/

EPIC page on DoubleClick/Abacus merger:
       http://epic.org/privacy/doubletrouble/

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-- 
Roger Clarke                  http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW