Google as Big Brother
In today's lecture there was a bit of debate surrounding the access to our personal information that google has and around 50% of those who participated in this discussion were of the belief that this is no problem and that we shouldn't accept it. I'm going to play devil's advocate (unlike in class) and say that it is acceptable.
For starters, if you didn't want your personal information being held by a large corporation then why would you sign up to a gmail account and why would you use the internet full stop? Also, why are we just blaming Google for holding our inofrmation? Univeristies, banks, the government and hospitals hold our information and we willingly give it out. We also make our telephone number available in the phone book, so why are worried about a company overseas having our inofrmation? It's not like it is going to be used by people for sinister purposes, but I do wonder something. If Google are willing to get into discussions with the Chinese Government then what is to say that they haven't been in talks with the New Zealand government? That is what I am more worried about.
I asked a flatmate earlier today about her opinion on the matter and she doesn't really mind and thinks it would be interesting to look at her emails and searches done over the years. I tend to agree on this matter, but only to a certain point.
We send text messages to people on a daily, sometimes even hourly basis and so the phone companies know where we are going to be and at what time. This would enable them to stalk us should they want but there have been no reported cases of such behaviour in New Zealand.
In short, we are being paranoid about nothing.
For starters, if you didn't want your personal information being held by a large corporation then why would you sign up to a gmail account and why would you use the internet full stop? Also, why are we just blaming Google for holding our inofrmation? Univeristies, banks, the government and hospitals hold our information and we willingly give it out. We also make our telephone number available in the phone book, so why are worried about a company overseas having our inofrmation? It's not like it is going to be used by people for sinister purposes, but I do wonder something. If Google are willing to get into discussions with the Chinese Government then what is to say that they haven't been in talks with the New Zealand government? That is what I am more worried about.
I asked a flatmate earlier today about her opinion on the matter and she doesn't really mind and thinks it would be interesting to look at her emails and searches done over the years. I tend to agree on this matter, but only to a certain point.
We send text messages to people on a daily, sometimes even hourly basis and so the phone companies know where we are going to be and at what time. This would enable them to stalk us should they want but there have been no reported cases of such behaviour in New Zealand.
In short, we are being paranoid about nothing.
posted by liz shaw at 10:34 PM
1 Comments:
I fully agree. I find it funny that we all jump into moral outrage at the thought of Google keeping our records, but really. Universities, Hospitals, Financers etc etc, all keep these details as well. And if someone was really that intent on looking you up they'd find a way with or without the internet. Sure it may be one step easier, but unless you live in a hut in the middle of the Amazon with no communication with the outside world, there is information about you, somehow somewhere! I understand the outrage at the Government being able to access information, but they are also able to get into your school, medical and financial history as well. The answer to this I feel, is Paranoia. If we've survived this long without being struck down by the powers that be, I'm sure we'll survive for another few years...
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