Serious question: Is Google a US govt entity? :: Free Realms

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#27 Feb 18 2011 at 8:32 AM Rating: Decent

Yodabunny

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Totem wrote:

More interestingly-- at least in terms of the "meh" reaction I am seeing here --is why many of you are rather blase about a private company collecting such information about you and yet are very uncomfortable about government doing so.

I don't actually care what my government knows about me, or any private company for that matter. Why should I? It's not like they're out to get me ;).

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#28 Feb 18 2011 at 9:34 AM Rating: Excellent

Jophiel

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Liberal Conspiracy

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It's a poor comparison regardless.

Amazon or Google or AT&T is collecting data about you in the course of your voluntary business with them. The government is collecting data from you involuntarily, including requiring data from private companies. Companies are collecting this data in a hope of making money. The government collects this data to see if you're behaving.

Most importantly, Google does not arrest people, imprison them, force them to defend their phone calls, purchases, etc in court or any of the other actions the government can take upon you if they decide you're not behaving.

As always, it is not up to me to defend why I could keep my privacy, it's up to the other party to defend why they should be allowed to violate my privacy.

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Belkira wrote:

Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.

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#29 Feb 18 2011 at 9:40 AM Rating: Decent

Yodabunny

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4,593 posts

Jophiel wrote:

As always, it is not up to me to defend why I could keep my privacy, it's up to the other party to defend why they should be allowed to violate my privacy.

Absolutely, and you have every right to your privacy the same as everyone else. If someone was fighting privacy issues against any corporation/government I would support them. I also understand and agree with the reasons for wanting to keep entities from amassing information about you. That being said personally, for me, I don't care who knows things about me. My life isn't controlled by others knowledge/opinions about my goings on and I don't fear my government.

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#30 Feb 18 2011 at 9:45 AM Rating: Excellent

Jophiel

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Liberal Conspiracy

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That's a perfectly valid opinion. My point was that Totem didn't have a perfectly valid question. If you don't care who knows what, that's fine but not being opposed to Google tracking things doesn't preclude me from caring if the government does. Hell, not caring if Google does doesn't preclude me from caring if AT&T does.

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Belkira wrote:

Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.

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#31 Feb 18 2011 at 10:06 AM Rating: Good

Elinda

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Skelly Poker Since 2008

16,781 posts

Totem wrote:

I'm too lazy to ummm, Google the various connections and circumstances surrounding a hand-in-glove relationship between them, but just for quick anecdotal evidence, the head Google dude in Egypt was instrumental in fomenting unrest. There have been other stories of Google collecting information about individuals and groups which, if shared, would give the recipient of such information a great deal of leverage or advantage over them.

More interestingly-- at least in terms of the "meh" reaction I am seeing here --is why many of you are rather blase about a private company collecting such information about you and yet are very uncomfortable about government doing so.

While I obviously have no direct evidence of it, I would find it quite remarkable that our government would not utilize the capabilities of companies like Google in some fashion or form. The clear advantage of doing so is far too enticing for an entity whose unstated goal is complete and unfettered power.

Totem

There are lots of companies collecting info about us on the interwebs. Google/Youtube may be the biggest - but certainly not the company that is most likely to use that data in devious ways. There are privacy laws emerging. I believe the EU has already outlawed tracking cookies.

There could be worse overlords than Google.

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Alma wrote:

I lost my post

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