Google reveals how much it knows about you
- Added:
- Nov 06, 2009
Google has bowed to user’s privacy concerns by launching an online tool that lets its account holders know how much of their personal data the search giant holds.
Google Dashboard provides users with a single view of all the data associated with their Google accounts.
The tool reveals information about user’s Web usage, email usage and when they are logged into Google services such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Calendar.
Dashboard will also let users delete information as well, a move that could help to address privacy concerns that have been raised surrounding Google's collection of so much data about its users' online habits.
On the left-hand side of the screen, Google Dashboard lists items such as Contacts, Docs, and Gmail, while on the right-hand side, users can drill down through functions such as "edit personal information," "sharing documents," and "manage chat history."
There is also a "privacy and security help" area.
In a blog post, the company wrote: "Over the past 11 years, Google has focused on building innovative products for our users. Today, with hundreds of millions of people using those products around the world, we are very aware of the trust that you have placed in us, and our responsibility to protect your privacy and data."
The Netimperative View
Privacy is more important to consumers than many techologists think. Companies holding data need to be more transparent, and Google’s move will encourage many others to follow their lead and add this level of transparency as standard across the Web. It's a move in the right direction but all web firms need to go further.
