Google even worse

Here is one of today’s news headlines:

Google Grabbed Personal Info Off Wi-Fi Networks During ‘Street View’ Sweeps

“The admission comes following outspoken criticism from Germany’s Federal Data Protection Commissioner Peter Schaar, who was ‘horrified’ to learn that Google’s Street View car cataloged private WiFi network data like Mac (Media Access Control) addresses and SSIDs, in addition to snapping pictures of public streets.”

Despite my complaints about Facebook, Google is probably even worse in some ways, and I’m still using numerous aspects of their service: web searches, gmail, etc. The reason I haven’t been as incensed at them so far is that unlike Facebook they haven’t taken information I gave them and posted it places I didn’t want them to post it without warning. But Google still collects information on everything I do and say.

To use a social analogy, Facebook is the indiscreet gossip who blabs what you say to other people. Google by contrast is the cool customer subtly eavesdropping on everything you say at parties, and making shrewd use of it when dealing with you.

The second is more dangerous in the end, though the first is likely to annoy you earlier and get the boot from your life much earlier.

Over the years there were angry calls to break up IBM, AT&T, Microsoft… Google is far more threatening than any of those. They’re going to own all the information in the universe soon: even your medical records if you decide to put them there (that already exists).

The next great world disaster may not be a tsunami or an ice cap melt or an asteroid strike (those could be a bit later). It could be some sort of global privacy incident, where for a 24-hour period there’s a glitch and you can find out absolutely everything about anyone you want.