In the classic 1984 George Orwell introduces us to a world where the government is controlling every facet of people's lives. They do so through an army of enforcement agents and a system of cameras that watches anyone and everyone wherever they are - public or private. Well, the government may not have gotten to this point just yet but there is someone keeping an eye on us all.
For years it seemed that Google was too good to be true. They designed the best internet products for us to use and in an apparent bout of insanity forgot to charge us for them. Their search engine worked so well it became the undisputed champion and favorite amongst 87.7% * of internet users in 2003. Industry analysts criticized them for providing a such an amazing free product with no real way of gaining income from it. However, the people knew a good thing when they saw it and proved it by ravenously gobbling up stock when Google went public in 2005. The stock continued to rise making millionaires quickly out of early stock holders. Over the next few years naysayers continued to say it was too good to be true but Google had their elves hard at work behind the scenes.
Over the past couple years Google has perfected a system of analyzing use of their free products from Google Maps to the Gmail email program in order to generate revenue from advertisers. Here's how it works:
Anytime you use Google search to find a restaurant or business, a central database takes notes. When you use Google maps to get directions somewhere Google assumes you're going there and places specific adds along the side of the next window that pops up. The adds are for businesses in the neighborhood that you might benefit from visiting. Similar practices are used in conjunction with Google Earth. The most controversial practice and the one that is attracting attention and critics is what they are doing with Google Mail or "Gmail".
When you type and send a message to someone using your gmail account, a program looks for key words in your message. To cut to the chase let's say you send a message to your spouse regarding some lingerie that you plan on wearing. An add for Frederick's of Hollywood or Victoria's Secret might then pop up in the next window. Commercial companies love this and this is one of many ways Google has found to "cash in" on the widespread use of their free products. There's only one problem - people don't like the idea of anyone reading their emails - even a computer. The P.R. folks at Google insist that it is only a computer program looking at emails and no actual person views them, but people still see it as an invasion of privacy. Also the question is posed: Is Google saving the information any where- say in a compiled profile attached to you or your computer? If so, who can access it. If so this would give rise to a whole generation of legal battles. There are already cases in court of legal entities trying to subpoena cell phone records to determine whereabouts. With the potential Google has for information that picture could be much more detailed.
"Google knows more about you then your mother" said Kevin Bankston, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation a recent interview. This idea has privacy advocates and watchdog groups sounding the alarms and the issue is sure to be a "hot button" topic in the months and years to come as the use and power of these intelligent programs increases.
The potential for profiling people is huge. Picasa Web is a program that allows you to store all your photos on line. Not long ago, the company was bought by Google. With facial recognition software it's possible that Google will even know who all your friends are.
Is Googles master design going to far? Not long ago many of these ideas would have been unbelievable but with today's technology what is possible may make you want to question how you use that little electronic box in front of you.
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