Friday, March 30, 2012

Google's New 'Account Activity' Is a Sham - Technology Review

A perspective from someone looking for additional personal analytics – and privacy – options

“First off, it's just sad that Google Plus does not even show up on this dashboard. Apparently even Google has given up on it. Moving right along, what profound insights did I gain from this dashboard? That my most e-mailed contacts are my wife, my editor and myself, in that order. Also, my most popular video uploaded to YouTube is the only one I've ever bothered to publicize. (It is about Steve Jobs, and you should watch it immediately.)

That's it. You know what Google isn't telling you?

  • Google knows every search query you've ever entered while logged in
  • Google has all kinds of demographic information about you
  • Google has probably derived, from the above data, everything from your sexual orientation to your hometown, though I can't prove it.
  • Google has a rough idea of your social graph, based on your gmail contacts and the frequency with which you email them.
  • Thousands and thousands of lines of other information about you.”

Google's New 'Account Activity' Is a Sham - Technology Review

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