A Race to the Bottom

We are aware that the decision to place Google at the bottom of the ranking is likely to be controversial, but throughout our research we have found numerous deficiencies and hostilities in Google’s approach to privacy that go well beyond those of other organizations. While a number of companies share some of these negative elements, none comes close to achieving status as an endemic threat to privacy. This is in part due to the diversity and specificity of Google’s product range and the ability of the company to share extracted data between these tools, and in part it is due to Google’s market dominance and the sheer size of its user base. Google’s status in the ranking is also due to its aggressive use of invasive or potentially invasive technologies and techniques.—A Race to the Bottom:

Privacy Ranking of Internet Service Companies

One Comment

Mat June 19, 2007

Though the ranking is clearly flawed (as cited widely in the blogosphere) I think there is some merit in raising awareness about the multiplicity of potential privacy issues that present themselves with the kind of personal data consolation that Google is now in measure of leveraging for whatever purpose they so desire.

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